When the Winds Change Part 2
by TomcatGM
Summary: Harm and Mac attend another Embassy reception, and soon find themselves entangled in a terrorist plot.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Howdy all

A/N: Howdy all. Part two is finally complete, so let the posting begin! Woo hoo! As promised, this one's more action oriented. Um…Obviously it's a sequel; the part 2 in the title kiiiinda gave that away. Thanks for all the reviews on part one. You guys rock…I think that's it. Enjoy!

Superfluous Disclaimer: Why why why why why, if I owned JAG, would I be posting on a fanfiction site? Seriously.

1623 ZULU

JAG HQ

London, England

Harm had almost made it to his car in the parking lot outside the JAG building when his cell phone rang. "Hi sweetheart." He had learned months ago to answer the phone that way when he knew his wife was going to be mad at him. And this time, she had every right to be.

"You're twenty three minutes late, Rabb. Have you even left yet?"

"I know, I know, I got hung up in court. I'm getting in my car right now. I'll be home in ten minutes. Mattie got my mess-dress uniform back from the cleaners right?" Harm did his best to change the subject; Mac calling him by his last name was never a good sign.

"Yes, she did. Harm you do realize we have to _**leave**_in eighteen minutes, right?"

"I'll be home in ten. We'll be on time, Mac, I promise."

"The Colonel-"

"Is expecting us to be there, I know." Harm winced as he peeled out and sped away from the parking lot. One nice thing about living in base housing for the time being was that he didn't have that far to drive. It was stopping at all the stop signs that took so damn long. "I'll be home in a few minutes. Love you."

"Me too."

Harm sighed as he flipped the phone shut and concentrated on his driving. He knew she was in a bad mood whenever she said "me too" and not "I love you too," and Mac had every right to be mad at him. Her boss, Colonel Matthew Jenkins, and his wife had planned a reception so Mac could meet some of the more important people in the Royal Navy and local government officials she would be dealing with during the course of her duties. Colonel Jenkins was the military attaché assigned to the American Embassy in London, and Mac was currently his part-time legal assistant.

The plan for Mac's work schedule had originally been for Mac to switch to an active reserve status while Mattie recovered. After the move to London, Mattie had surprised everyone, including her doctors, by learning how to walk again less than six months after her accident. Mac was able to go back to work just three months after moving, and found that although Mattie could now do just fine on her own, she enjoyed being at the house when she arrived home from school. It was time that they shared everyday, just the two of them, because Harm wouldn't return home from work until closer to dinnertime. Mac and Mattie enjoyed this "girl" time, and spent it talking about everything from boys and office gossip to what shoes were going on sale at the shopping center. Mattie had been ecstatic when she found out Mac loved shoes just as much as she did.

Mac was enjoying her new job as much as she was enjoying being able to spend more time with Mattie. Colonel Jenkins was on Ambassador Lader's personal staff. He was able to provide expert opinions on military matters and deliver position papers that the Ambassador could take to the British Government on how the United States would respond in certain military situations. However, in order to do this work successfully, Jenkins had believed for some time that he needed a JAG lawyer to not only endorse his opinion on military matters, but to act as a legal advisor for personnel in the office and offer insight on proposed changes to the rules of engagement. Since the latter was an important issue overseas and had to be discussed with the allies helping in Iraq, Colonel Jenkins had been overjoyed when General Creswell informed him there would be a JAG officer from his office arriving to fill the position within the next four months. The Colonel was more than pleased with Mac's performance and kept politely asking Mac to reconsider going back to active duty.

Mac had decided not to at least until Mattie was almost done with high school. Harm had supported her decision. He was glad Mac was happy in her new position, and he was glad that Mac and Mattie were getting along so well. He'd had his reservations before they moved in with him- although Lord knows he never admitted it out loud- that living with two very strong-willed ladies could turn out to be a bit of a challenge at times…Which indeed it was … Especially after spending the last twenty-five years living as a bachelor. But they'd learned how to live as a family, and laugh and joke with each other more often than not.

Harm wasn't sure how much joking they'd be doing tonight if he didn't make it back to the house in time. Colonel Jenkins' staff had planned the party to be thrown at the Embassy tonight. Since the party was to celebrate Mac's new position and have her meet a lot of the top brass in the British Government the Colonel would no doubt be complaining about in the near future, he had made sure to work around Harm's schedule so that he could escort Mac to the party. Since Harm was a new CO on the London base the Colonel insisted he be able to attend. Unfortunately, Harm had been in and out of town for the first few months he was in London trying to get a better understanding of who exactly was running things in the other JAG offices throughout Europe; more importantly he needed to know how they were running them.

As the highest-ranking JAG on the continent, if things went wrong, the blame was going to fall on his shoulders. Harm had simply vowed to make sure everything was running smoothly at all the offices that reported to him. And if they weren't, he was usually on the next flight out. The officers serving under him had quickly adjusted to this delicate mix of a hands-on approach with just enough leeway to allow them to be comfortable doing their jobs, and Harm hadn't been out of town for the last three weeks. It was at that point when the Colonel figured it was safe for the Ambassador to go ahead and plan the next reception, and flat out ordered Harm to hand the work off to someone else if it were going to take him out of London the weekend of the reception. Having only been a Captain for less than a year, Harm wasn't about to disobey that particular order.

The reception was to be a formal dinner engagement, and Harm just hoped that they would have a vegetarian option. After an incredibly long week at the office, most of which he spent in court prosecuting a sailor accused of illegal drug trafficking, all he really wanted was a decent meal since he'd somehow managed to skip lunch. Hopefully, the party would be a fun way for him and Mac to spend the evening since they hadn't done too much on their own once Mac and Mattie moved to London. Harm jerked to a halt as he stopped in the driveway, and was halfway out the car door before he even shut off the engine. It was a good thing the Navy paid to have his Corvette shipped to London, or he might not have made it in time. He was suddenly glad that they hadn't found off base housing yet, and that it only took him eight minutes to get across the base…if he fudged the speed limit a little… maybe a lot.

Harm burst through the front door of the house and stopped dead in his tracks. Mac was coming out of the master bedroom…and she was drop dead gorgeous. Wearing the same maroon dress she wore the night of their engagement, she had done her hair so the dark, wavy locks fell across her shoulders and bounced just slightly as she walked. Harm loved to watch her move in that dress, to watch her leg slide in and out of the long slit in the gown as she walked.

Mac had come out of the bedroom ready to take a mile wide strip off of Harm's backside for being late, but stopped herself when she saw the look of total admiration on his face when he walked in the front door. Before she could even form a word, he'd crossed the hall and swept her into a passionate embrace, kissing her so ardently that when they broke, she was breathless.

"You look absolutely stunning," Harm said in a low, loving voice. "I'm sorry I'm late. I could have killed the defense attorney this kid has. It was like he knew I had somewhere important to be and was dragging out the hearing on purpose." Harm kissed her forehead and hurried into the bedroom.

"You have exactly eight minutes to get ready or we won't make it in time. And you need to shave again."

"I need to shower first, and lay out my…uniform." Harm paused mid-sentence as he noticed his uniform was laid out all ready to go, medals arranged perfectly, on the bed. "Thank you," he said as he hurried off to the bathroom.

"You're welcome. I was home all afternoon just waiting until I needed to get ready."

"I thought you went into work this morning?" Harm's voice was muffled behind the wall now. Mac heard the water turn on and raised her voice slightly, standing just inside the bathroom door so he could hear her.

"The Colonel called and told me to stay home. He and the staff were all busy making last minute preparations for dinner tonight, everything work related was put on hold until tomorrow because apparently you can do that in politics, and there wasn't anything pressing he needed me to do."

"That was nice of him. Hey, how come he couldn't have gotten me the day off too?"

"Very funny."

"Who's joking?" Harm said sarcastically, and shut off the water as he grabbed a towel and climbed out of the shower.

"That was fast. I'm impressed, sailor. You're skills are improving."

"Comes from living with a teenager who uses all the hot water." Harm added on quickly, seeing the look in her eye, "And I do need to shave." He shuddered. "Ugh. I hate having a five o'clock shadow."

Mac chuckled. "I kind of like the ruggedly handsome look on you, but that's not really what we're going for tonight."

Harm grinned. "You don't think your boss would be impressed if I walked in looking like a ragamuffin?" He finished shaving and quickly gelled his hair, spiking his bangs up in the front.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Harm just grinned at her. "You know, I haven't been to one of these things since the Surface Warfare Ball."

"You're kidding."

"No…You have? When?"

"Um…a couple years ago," he answered vaguely.

"Why do I think another James Bond stunt was involved?"

"I wasn't wearing a tux. I had on a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops…No, wait. That wasn't the last time. I was wearing a suit that time…actually, well, it was more like a waiter's uniform... Definitely not as much drama as the Sudanese Embassy party. Beth diffused the bomb, and we went on our way." Now completely dressed, Harm was heading out of the bedroom but Mac stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Bomb?"

Harm just stared at her. "Did I say that out loud?"

"What bomb, Harm? And why did your partner have to diffuse it? The Company has people who do that sort of thing for a living."

"Because I diffused the last one; it was her turn. Come on Mac, we gotta go." He glanced around. "Mattie's not home?"

"She's having dinner with her friend, Danielle. And don't change the subject."

"What subject?" he asked innocently, as they climbed into the car.

"You're incorrigible."

Harm laughed. "No, I just never get to share stories of my days as double-oh-Rabb." Mac just shook her head. The mood was light, they were already enjoying each other's company, and the evening was off to a perfect start since they pulled out of the driveway exactly eight minutes after Harm arrived at the house.

Later that Evening…

American Embassy

London, England

Harm and Mac were enjoying the evening immensely. The dinner had been a full, very extravagant seven course meal. And much to Harm's delight, a vegetarian plate had been set in front of him for every course. Mac had just smiled as she carefully cut into her prime rib.

For several hours Harm and Mac had enjoyed meeting all the new faces in the room. Now, the couple was enjoying each other's company on the dance floor. After a whirlwind of introductions to all the important officials from the British government, they were glad to finally have a few moments to themselves. The orchestra started playing a tango, and Mac couldn't help but smile at the mischievous grin Harm got on his face as he abruptly started leading her in an obviously well practiced manner across the dance floor.

"Since when do you tango?"

"My mom made me take lessons when I was a junior in high school."

"She made you? What about football? You had time for dancing lessons?"

Harm smiled as he pulled her in close and did a snap turn taking them in the opposite direction. "We went on the weekends. She was my dance partner."

"Come to think of it, we're usually too preoccupied at these things for you to show off your dance skills."

"No kidd-" Harm stopped mid-sentence as all the lights in the embassy went out without warning. The couple stopped moving, as did everyone else on the dance floor, and Harm pulled Mac in close so he could whisper in her ear. "Are we on a mission I don't know about?"

"We'd better not be. That doesn't mean someone else on the guest list isn't though."

"I'm not sure I like that option any better."

While the guests were quietly whispering to each other and trying not to panic over what was most likely a simple power outage, twenty-five men dressed in Marine uniforms emerged from various doors located around the large ballroom. They all drew their side arms several seconds before the lights came back on.

Already on alert from the lights being out, Harm's eyes quickly adapted to the darkness and he saw the shadows emerging from the doors and the tables. Satisfied that everyone had stopped moving, he grabbed Mac's arm, whispering for her to stay quiet and pulled her under a table on the far end of the room away from all the movement he saw. Just before he pulled the tablecloth down, he heard the rounds being chambered into several pistols throughout the room and the lights snapped back on.

One Marine in the group, now standing ominously in the middle of the room and brandishing a sidearm, wasn't an imposter. Colonel Jenkins recognized him right away, demanding an explanation. "Sergeant Brown, what is going on here?" The Colonel didn't say anything else as Brown quickly pointed his weapon at the senior officer. While the two men were making a little noise, Harm and Mac got down on their stomachs with their feet in the air above them, careful not to kick the table or let their feet poke out the other end of the tablecloth. Harm slowly lifted the tablecloth a few inches so they could see what was going on.

Brown gave the Colonel a wicked grin. "Go get everything set up." Five of the men quickly left to carry out the order. Harm watched their movements carefully, realizing just how well organized this particular group of…well, he didn't really know what they were yet. "I would think that was obvious, Colonel. Your Marines are all tied up and secured in the holding cells in the barracks, and my men and I are taking over the embassy." Harm felt a chill go down his spine as Brown looked around the room. "And imagine my good fortune that I was able to capture _two_ O-65 officers tonight instead of just one…Well, well, where did Captain Rabb disappear to? Hmm?"

Mac strengthened her grip on Harm. The five men who had left the room returned hauling several pieces of equipment and several large black bags on wheels. Three left again, apparently to make another trip.

Brown raised his voice as two men began pulling M-16 rifles out of one of the bags and distributing them to the other men. "Ladies, kindly make your way to this side of the room," his voice boomed as he pointed to the left. All the women in the room instantly moved to comply, not wanting to provoke their aggressors. "Lock them in the lounge and post two guards. Not one, two."

The men were gathered up and placed in another room. The military officers, however, were taken to the barracks on the other side of the embassy, and locked in the brig with the rest of the Marines, their hands tightly secured behind their backs with flex cuffs.

Meanwhile, Harm and Mac were waiting under the table for a chance to leave the room and find a better hiding place. Several of Brown's men were still going in and out with heavier pieces of equipment, including a generator.

"This was well planned and well executed," Mac said, her voice barely a whisper.

Harm nodded his agreement. "Do they have all of this stuff at the embassy?"

"I know there're a few generators in storage here. Brown is one of the few people who have access to them. I'm not sure about the other stuff. Brown could have gotten the weapons from the barracks once he turned on the men…I hope they're all okay. Who knows how many people he hurt before the rest of us found out what was happening."

"Whatever happens, it's obvious he thinks it's going to end tonight. He probably placed one of his phony Marines outside to stand guard to keep up appearances. No one is going to miss these people until late tomorrow morning at the earliest. He's got plenty of time to accomplish his goals and get out before any outside help can get to us."

"He never did say what he wanted."

Harm frowned.

"What?"

"He didn't did he?...Mac…all of the men he brought with him…didn't they all look _American_ to you…" Harm let the sentence trail off, as he became lost in thought.

"Well they're not speaking with accents, I suppose they could be, but I don't think we can make that assumption…Why?"

"He didn't claim to have some kind of grievance, or want revenge, or refer to anyone as a hostage." Mac looked at him curiously, raising her eyebrows in silent question. "I don't think they're terrorists, Mac."

"All right, James Bond, I'm listening."

"Doesn't this look more like a rehearsed military operation to you, instead of an act of terrorism?"

It only took Mac a second to realize how accurate that statement seemed. Brown and his men had to know the layout of the embassy very well in order to carry out their tasks with such precision. They were using the weapons they acquired with ease. The men with Brown took orders without question. No hostages, just people they needed to perhaps get out of the way. A military operation indeed. "Okay, I'll bite. If they're military, whom are they working for?"

"When I figure it out, I'll let you know."

They stopped whispering as more men came into the room with more supplies, this time technical equipment. Five of them stood around a table in the far corner as they began setting up laptops, web cams, a base radio for the walkie-talkies the intruders had, as well as a security camera monitoring station.

"So much for sneaking around and finding out what's going on."

"The last time we snuck around we got caught, and-"

Mac waited for him to finish, but he never did. "And what? And don't you dare say never mind."

Despite the fact that Harm was whispering, Mac could still tell his voice was heavy with emotion. "We got caught and…I almost lost you."

Mac had an instant flashback of Mochak sending the vile with the Ebola virus towards Harm who caught it just milliseconds before it shattered on the floor. "Ditto, sailor."

"We need a plan, Mac, we can't just hide under here forever."

"You're asking me?" Mac was stunned.

"You're the Marine."

"You're the ex-spy! Weren't you just telling me you've done this before?"

As if a higher power was providing them with a solution, all the men left the room except for one that was monitoring the security equipment.

"Wait here," Harm whispered before giving Mac a light kiss. Mac kept an eye on the doors as he slowly made his way out from under the table and across the room as quiet as a mouse, using various tables for cover. The man watching the security monitors was completely oblivious to his presence with his back in the direction Harm was approaching from. He was about six feet away from his target when another guard walked into the room and walked right past the table Mac was hiding under. Seeing that the new threat intended to shoot first and ask questions later, she quickly emerged from her hiding place. Mac took the man out with one solid karate chop to the back of the neck. Harm took his opponent out by cutting off his air supply with a tight arm around his neck and pulled him onto the floor. They both landed with a thud at almost exactly the same time.

Harm pointed to the table in the farthest corner of the room. "Let's put them over there." Mac helped Harm drag the men to the other side of the room and carefully arranged the tablecloth so that they couldn't be seen.

"Are we still improvising?"

"No. I'm gonna see if I can get a hold of Admiral Hines," Harm replied pulling out his cell phone. Admiral Hines was Harm's CO at the London Navy base. Hopefully, he'd have some suggestions, or orders, to impart. While Harm made the call, Mac collected the weapons and gear from the men now shoved unceremoniously under the table. "This is Captain Rabb, I need to speak to Admiral Hines, it's an emergency."

I'm sorry, Captain, the Admiral left on vacation this afternoon. He can't be reached by anyone but the SecNav until he returns Monday morning.

"Is he out of the country?"

Yes, sir, he is.

"Put me in touch with whomever he left in charge then. And make it fast."

That would be Captain Masker, sir, I'll put you right through.

The line went dead before Harm could thank the polite petty officer that had answered the phone. "What the hell?" Harm cursed as he ripped the phone away from his ear.

"Dropped call?"

"Yeah, but I had a full signal I don't see why-"

Harm stopped and dragged Mac through the nearby doorway just as Brown and several of his men reentered the room. "… will block any listening device or radio wave within a quarter mile radius of the embassy," one of the men was informing Brown. Harm shot Mac an exasperated look.

"You left men to guard the transponder?"

"Yes, sir. The phone lines are cut. No calls can come in or out of the embassy."

"Good. The Colonel is comfortable?"

"Yes, sir, we locked him upstairs in the VIP guest suite. He's not going anywhere."

"Excellent. Where's Smith? I thought I told him to stay here and monitor the equipment?" No one answered, and a knot slowly started forming in the pit of Harm's stomach. "Find him! Gates, you stay here for now. Everything else is on schedule?"

"The download is only at thirty-three percent, Drake is working on increasing the speed."

"Good. The rest of you know what to look for. Get going."

Harm put his back flat against the wall as the men dispersed, but thankfully, no one came in their direction. "Do you know where the guest suite is?"

Mac nodded. "It's on the top floor. It's the biggest guest room in the embassy. Members of the Cabinet usually stay there when they're visiting. It's this way," Mac explained handing Harm a pistol and heading for the back staircase.

Harm saw where they were heading and grabbed her elbow. "No, wait. It's probably guarded. Is there a freight elevator?"

"Yeah, right around the corner."

Two more turns and they were there, but Harm had been right; there wasn't anyone guarding it. The doors slid quietly open as soon as Mac pressed the button. Getting inside, Harm simply pushed the door-closed button, wanting a moment to gather his thoughts before charging into the situation upstairs blindly.

Mac seemed to read his mind and started relaying as many details about the upper floor as she could remember. "The guest room will be to the left, the staircase to the right. From the elevator it should be the second door on the left. There're only two rooms on the top floor and the other one is to the right. The room's maybe…twenty feet down the hall which ends at the door, no cover."

"How far is the staircase?"

"Thirty feet in the opposite direction."

Harm nodded, not sure why the fact that the VIP suite took up almost the entire floor surprised him. "They've got the man power. I'd put one guard outside the room and another at the top of the stairs."

"So would I…Do you think we'll be able to drop them without alerting the rest of the embassy?"

Harm pondered that for a moment. Then, digging through his pocket, produced his Swiss army knife and flipped the small blade open. "This is going to hurt me more than you, okay?"

"Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?"

"Probably." Harm smiled sadly and began cutting away the bottom of her dress in a spiral pattern. He took about a foot off the bottom, and when he was done he handed the material to Mac. "Sorry, sweetheart."

"I might forgive you when we get out of this mess," she said as she wrapped the fabric around the barrel of her pistol. "Using dress material as a silencer. This has to be new. I guess I should have expected it to be ruined before the end of the night anyway."

Harm smirked as he took off his bow tie and threw it on the ground. He then removed his uniform jacket and neatly wrapped it around his weapon. "I really hope this works…Well, you're the expert marksman in the family, you wanna take the longer shot?" Mac nodded in agreement. "All right, I say we let the elevator door ding, and then wait to the count of three, pivot out and shoot at the same time. That way we'll cover each other."

"Good idea. Ready?"

"Ready." Harm pressed the button for the seventh floor, and the elevator slowly started to rise.


	2. Chapter 2

Harm and Mac took their positions just as the light above the door indicated the car had arrived on the seventh floor. The arrival indicator let out a semi-loud ding, and the doors slid open. With a silent count to three and a quick nod toward each other, Harm and Mac pivoted out of the doorway, dropped to a knee, and started shooting. With no warning and no cover to hide behind, the guards fell quickly, but not before the guard to the left got off a few random shots as he fell to the ground.

Harm grunted as he felt a sharp pain rip through his biceps, the shock causing him to jerk backwards at an alarming speed. Crashing to the floor, he landed and rolled, then used his momentum to stand up without putting pressure on his wounded arm. He quickly trotted down the hall to make sure the guard he shot was dead, or at least unconscious and not likely to cause any more problems.

Harm frowned as he felt the man's neck, not finding a pulse. Definitely dead. Thankfully, the guard had been armed with a silenced pistol, and the improvised ones had been fairly successful, so they hadn't made too much noise. Harm quickly relieved the man of his weapon and other equipment, including a couple more pairs of flex cuffs. He glanced down the hall to see Mac binding the other guard with a pair. She picked up his other equipment and then, tearing off a strip of cloth from his shirt, gagged the man. As she stood up, he was relieved to see she didn't appear to be hurt.

Mac, however, didn't come to the same conclusion about Harm, who now had a large red stain on his shirt that was growing slowly, but steadily. She picked up her pace to meet him at the other end of the hall. "Harm…" A soft thud from somewhere downstairs interrupted her.

"Shh!" Harm put his hand to his lips to motion her into silence. After several seconds passed he clarified, "I thought I heard someone running up the stairs."

"Are you okay?" She carefully inspected the hole in his shirt.

"I'll be fine. It's not bad," Harm said with a grimace.

"We have to stop the bleeding. Now." He didn't answer, so she looked up at his face to find him slightly pale. "Harm! Hey! Stay with me."

"I'm okay," he said softly, "I'm just getting a little dizzy…Let's…let's take this inside." He handed her a set of keys he had taken from the guard. She immediately unlocked the door to the suite and ushered Harm inside. She managed to get him to a couch located near the fireplace on the left wall of the suite. "Get the Colonel to help you with the guards first, Mac."

"Harm-"

"Mac, get the Colonel. He can pull the guards into the room, and you can help me with this."

Sighing, Mac quickly glanced around the room and saw the Colonel tied to the desk chair on the far end of the sitting room. She rushed to him and quickly cut away the bonds binding his hands to the wood frame of the chair and carefully pulled the tape away from his mouth.

"Is he all right?"

"I think so. Sir, can you bring in the guards from the hall? I need to stop the bleeding."

The two Marines immediately sprang into action. The Colonel set about bringing the guards into the room, and shoved their bodies into the coat closet, shutting the door. Meanwhile, Mac had removed Harm's cummerbund and twisted it around his upper arm near the shoulder. She winced at his sharp intake of breath. "I'm sorry. This is just temporary. There should be a first aid kit in here somewhere, I'm going to go find it." The Colonel came over with a cold compress ice pack he had gotten out of the freezer and applied it to the wound.

"Try the linen closet outside the bathroom, Colonel. This should help slow the bleeding as well," he said pressing down as hard as he could. Harm inhaled sharply again, but some color was already starting to come back to his face.

Fifteen minutes later, after a painful procedure Colonel Jenkins administered involving Harm's pocketknife and the gas fire log in the fireplace that was now glowing warmly, Harm was resting on the couch. Mac walked over with a cool, damp washcloth and gently applied it to Harm's forehead.

"Thanks, Mac."

"How are you doing?"

"Better, I think." He paused and a sheepish expression crossed his face. "I can't believe I almost passed out."

"There's food in the fridge. I think you should try to eat something. At least drink some juice."

"Juice sounds good." He moved to sit up, careful not to put any weight on his injured arm. "Let me try and go with you." Harm managed, much to Mac's surprise, to make it into the kitchen without a problem. She poured him a glass of juice, and he drank it while leaning gently against the counter.

Colonel Jenkins came into the kitchen holding a sling he had fashioned by cutting up a spare bed sheet. "Here Captain, see if this fits." Mac took the sling from him and helped Harm ease into it. After a few adjustments, Harm's arm was resting comfortably in the soft, white fabric. "You should be lying down, Harm."

"We can't stay here forever, sir." Despite the fact they were of the same rank, Harm just didn't feel comfortable calling his wife's CO by his first name. "Do we even know why they're here?"

"Those two numbskulls that tied me up were talking as if I weren't even here. They're going after the documents and correspondence for our troop movements and positioning in Iraq."

"I thought all those files were encrypted?" Mac asked.

"They are. All the officers have the encryption key, including the NCO in charge of the barracks here."

"Sergeant Brown."

"Unfortunately, yes. I don't have my cell phone with me, is there some other way we can call for help?"

"I tried to call Admiral Hines. He's on vacation, but I was cut off before I could speak to the Captain in charge. They're jamming long distance radio waves, and the phone lines are out."

"Did they call anyone? Make any sort of demand?"

"No, sir," Mac answered, "We think they're American, maybe a militia group, but we don't have a clue why they want the information they came for. And short of sending a smoke signal, I don't know how we're going to get anyone's attention."

Harm stood up straight suddenly, and then bolted into the living room. Worried, the others followed him. Harm flipped a switch on the wall turning off the fireplace, and leaned over the log looking up the chimney.

"Captain?"

"Let him think, sir, he's having one of his Bond moments."

Harm eventually turned back to Mac and Jenkins. "Maybe we _can_ send a smoke signal…"

"Harm, I wasn't actually serious."

"Mac, this chimney is huge. I think you'll fit."

"Harm…I wasn't actually serious."

"They probably set the transponder up on the roof. We have weapons; I think we should try to overtake the two guards we know are guarding it so we can call for help." In response to the incredulous look he was receiving from his wife, Harm added, "I seriously doubt they're guarding the chimney, Mac."

There was a brief moment of silence.

Finally, Colonel Jenkins said, "I'm not sure if I can't come up with a good argument against this plan because your logic is twisted, or because it might actually work."

"You're a good shot, Mac. You can do this."

"All right, so I somehow wiggle my way up the chimney, locate the guards, shoot them, destroy the transponder, make the call, and then what?"

"Well, then help will be on the way, and we won't need to keep making up the plan as we go along."

"No one else has been up here yet," Jenkins added. "We might be able to just lay low for a while."

"Unless…"

"Unless, what, Captain?"

"There might be a flaw with this plan."

"Only one?" Mac quipped.

"They're well organized. They'll have a backup plan if the police arrive, I'm sure of it. I'm also sure that we'll need to find somewhere else to hide. We've been here too long already. In any case, if we're going to do this we have to do it now. We're running out of time."

Mac proceeded to remove the pants and shirt from one of the men they pulled in from the hallway, and went into the other room to change. She emerged a minute later sporting black cargo pants and a black t-shirt, and was tucking her hair up into a tight ponytail with a rubber band she found in the desk drawer. She noticed Harm had taken off the sling and was shoving it unceremoniously into his pocket.

He looked up at her when she came back into the room, and gave her a small smile. "You ready?" Mac finished snapping the shoulder strap of the double gun holster she had taken from one of the men and carefully tucked two weapons inside them. The holsters had been altered, by hand it appeared, to hold a gun with a silencer attached. These guys didn't mess around.

"Yeah."

"Here." Harm handed her his pocketknife and his cell phone. Mac's was with her purse, which unfortunately was still at their table in the ballroom downstairs. He looked at her thoughtfully. "What time is it in Washington? Is General Cresswell still at JAG?"

Mac did a quick calculation in her head. "Yes. You two want me to call him instead?"

"We know you'll get through, and he'll be able to get us help a lot faster than me trying to get a hold of the Captain who was left in charge in London."

"Good idea."

"Okay. I'm gonna crouch down while you climb on my shoulders, and then stand up. If you need more height, I'll have you stand on my hands and lift you up over my head."

"With a bullet hole in your arm? Colonel Jenkins should be doing this, Harm," she glanced at her CO, who merely shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'I was out maneuvered by your husband's negotiating skills.'

"We discussed that. I'm taller. I'll lift you up. Come on." Harm ducked into the fireplace and crouched down on his heels clearly leaving no room for argument.

"If you tear that wound open, I'm NOT rewrapping it," Mac said as she crawled into the huge fireplace facing Harm.

"Deal…Good luck." He leaned in and gave her a short kiss.

Mac smiled sadly and climbed up onto her husband's shoulders. Standing, Harm slowly lifted her six feet off the ground. Mac's stomach flipped despite the control Harm used. The opening at the top of the chimney was suddenly getting closer, but her human elevator stopped rising with her head about three feet from the opening.

"Mac?"

"Too short."

"Hold on."

Mac felt herself rising even higher as Harm stepped carefully on top of the logs in the fireplace. Still short. Damn. This was going to hurt him…

"I need another two feet, Harm," she said softly.

"All right. I'm gonna put my hands to either side of your feet. I'll count to three, then step off my shoulders with your left foot first, okay."

"Okay." That was a good plan. She'd put her weight on his right arm, his good arm, first and he could add as much strength as he needed to boost her up.

"One, two, three."

Mac stepped off with one foot, then the other. She reached out to the sides of the chimney to balance herself as Harm launched her upwards much more quickly this time. Halfway through her ascent, Harm stopped suddenly, and let out an agonizing groan. Before she could even demand that he put her down, he started lifting her again. When he finally stopped, her head had slowly crept above the top of the chimney. Harm was right. From the lights surrounding the embassy, she could make out two men carefully guarding what looked like a small satellite dish about thirty yards away on the other side of the roof. The protective screen easily slid to the slide and Mac slowly brought her pistol out and took aim at the one on the left. She took a deep, slow breath, and as she exhaled, gently squeezed the trigger.

The man dropped like a stone, and before the other guard could even figure out where she was shooting from to look, Mac squeezed the trigger again. The second guard fell instantaneously.

"They're both down," Mac called down. She holstered her weapon, grabbed the edge of the chimney and hoisted herself up shimmying through the opening in the screen. It was a tight fit, but luckily it was an older fireplace and chimney and therefore much larger than they made them nowadays. With the agility of a cat, she sprung over the side and landed softly on the rooftop. She immediately pivoted, making sure no one else was on the roof before slowly making her way to the transponder jamming the radio signals. She realized that the door to the stairwell was just to her left and must come out the door to the left of the elevator in the hall on the top floor.

Perfect. She had no desire to go down that chimney again. If children only knew how difficult a task actually maneuvering in one was, the legend of Santa Claus would go right out the window. As she passed them, she double-checked the guards, who were definitely not breathing.

Reaching the dish, Mac realized there was another flaw in Harm's plan.

She had no idea what to do with the damn thing now that she was standing in front of it. She considered throwing it over the side of the roof, but thought that might attract unwanted attention. This was stupid. It was a satellite. Too much wind or the wrong angle and the damn things didn't work…right? Unplugging it would be a good start, she decided. She pulled the cord out of the generator it was sitting next to, and then ripped the cord out of the dish. Several wires became visible and she yanked a little harder. Hearing several things start to clink inside the dish, she took Harm's knife out of his pocket and cut the wires completely just to be sure. Pulling Harm's phone out of her other pocket, she put in a call to JAG Headquarters.

***

Bud was on his way back from the law library and passing an empty desk in the bullpen when the phone rang.

***

Mac was shocked, to say the least, when Bud picked up the phone.

"JAG Ops, Lieutenant Commander Roberts."

"Bud, it's Mac. Look, this is an emergency. Harm and I are at the American Embassy; it's been taken over by what we think is an American militia group. I need to talk to the General."

"Yes, ma'am," he responded, instantly kicking into crisis mode. "Are you two okay?"

"Harm took a bullet in the arm, but he seems to be doing okay, and other than being covered in soot, I'm fine."

Bud decided, wisely, that he would ask about the soot thing later. "Are you safe for now if I put you on hold, ma'am?"

"Yeah, Bud, just don't take all day."

The General's yeoman like everyone else in the bullpen was at lunch, so Bud just burst through the door. Ignoring the look of astonishment on General Cresswell's face he dove right in. "Sir, Colonel Mackenzie's on the phone. There's an emergency situation at the London Embassy. American militiamen are believed to have taken over the Embassy. Captain Rabb is the only injured officer that I know of."

The General grabbed the phone and stabbed the button with the corresponding blinking light. "Colonel? Are you all right?"

"Yes sir, I'm fine."

"What do you need?"

"To be honest, sir, we're not sure. They're well organized, and Harm thinks that they'll have a backup plan to put in place immediately if police start arriving. Colonel Jenkins overheard them say they're going after information about troop movements in Iraq. They have complete access to the armory at the barracks, sir. We don't want to tick them off."

"I agree. Is the Captain all right?" the General asked, impressed that his officer was remaining so calm.

"GSW in his upper arm, sir. Colonel Jenkins was able to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding…Sir…I don't suppose there's a recon or SEAL team handy in the vicinity?"

"I can certainly find out. I need as much intel as you can give me, Colonel." Mac proceeded to run down everything else they had learned so far. "All right. I'll be in touch. Where are you calling from?"

"I'm on the roof right now, sir, it's a long story. You can reach us on Harm's cell phone. Bud has the number, sir. We can't take the risk of having it ring and giving away our location, sir, so we might not answer right away."

"I'll be in touch. Semper Fi, Colonel."

"Semper Fi, sir."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Howdy fellow fanfictioners! (Fanfictioners?) Sorry about the whole chapter 3 fiasco. I realized I posted it incorrectly immediately and deleted it. However, because of the obnoxiously long time it took me to update in the first place – my profound apologies about that – I'm posting the story to completion today to hopefully make up for it. Thanks for the reviews so far. :) Enjoy.

Chapter 3

Mac hung up the phone and stealthily made her way down the stairs and back to the guest suite. She opened the door a crack and whispered, "It's Mac," before opening the door fully. Good thing too, she decided, because Colonel Jenkins was standing about five feet away with his gun trained on the door.

"How'd it go?" Harm asked.

"Good. I got through to the General. He's on it. Expect a SEAL or Recon team sometime soon…Is your arm okay?"

"Yeah. We re-bandaged it…We should move."

"I don't know Captain, we've been safe up here so far," Jenkins offered.

"Exactly. It's only a matter of time before they come back for you. They wouldn't have singled you out if they didn't plan on coming back up here at some point."

"I agree. We need to keep moving. What if we used an empty office?" Mac volunteered while helping Harm put his sling back on. "There are several on the fifth floor."

"Too dangerous. We don't know what office or offices they're downloading intel from."

"Probably mine and the ambassador's," Jenkins put in.

"Do you think we could get to the basement, sir?" Mac asked. "There's enough stored down there to hide out for months."

"Will the phone be able to get through?"

"I got a call down there yesterday when I was looking for a file. I think it'll be all right."

"Sounds good to me," Harm offered, "Can we take the elevator all the way down?"

"We can. Let's get moving," Jenkins ordered.

The trio stepped out into the hall. Mac was about to press the button for the elevator when it announced its arrival on the floor with a soft ding. Making a mad dash for the stairs, the three officers barely managed to make it out of sight before the doors slid open. They didn't stop until they descended two floors.

Coming out of the stairwell first, Mac peaked out from around the corner. The halls were empty; there was no one in sight. Waving the others forward the trio emerged. Mac picked the third door on the right and went inside.

"That was close."

"Tell me about it," Harm panted glancing down at his arm.

Jenkins shut the door behind him and they looked around the room. "We only have a few minutes before they find those guards tied up in the closet."

***

Sergeant Brown did not like to be kept waiting. It had been fifteen minutes since two of his men had gone to look for Smith. When no one had been able to find him, Brown had ordered all his units to check in. That was ten minutes ago. Five other men hadn't checked in yet. Brown had sent half of his small army upstairs to check up on them.

Seven men poured out of the elevator weapons drawn, but saw nothing. Shadows from the three officers had disappeared around the stairwell corner just seconds before. A few seconds after that, they found the ropes used to tie Colonel Jenkins on the floor in the VIP suite, along with the two men in the closet.

Downstairs, Brown put his finger up to his ear as the call came in over his radio. "What do you mean they're dead?! All of them?!" Well, no, one was still alive. "Who?" Johnson. "Tell him to get his ass down here right now. I want to know what the hell is going on!"

This was not the way the plan was supposed to work. They were supposed to be in and out, and then with the money they got, Brown was going to be able to disappear forever. Maybe to Cuba, he'd figured. No extradition treaty there, and white sandy beaches were just fine with him.

His men were slowly disappearing. If he didn't do something soon, nothing would work out the way it was supposed to. He swiftly clicked his radio on. "Drake?"

"Yeah boss?"

"Are you close?"

"Another ten minutes to finish this download, then I've only got one more. Thirty minutes tops."

Gates strode back into the room. "We finished counting the hostages. Rabb and Mackenzie are missing, plus Jenkins somehow managed to Houdini out of his ropes upstairs. They said there's blood all over the sofa up there."

"They found him."

"Rabb and Mackenzie? There's no way they could have made it all the way-"

"Did you put guards on the freight elevator like I told you?"

Silence. Gates gulped. "Oops."

"Oops? Oops!!! I've got three military officers roaming around this embassy, who just so happen to know every nook and cranny of the layout of this place, threatening to blow the lid off of our perfectly planned operation and all you can say is OOPS!?"

Gates knew better than to dig himself in any deeper, so he just stood there meeting Brown's gaze.

"Find them! Have the free men down here move up while the men on the top floor move down and leave a guard on every staircase exit. I promised we'd have Rabb by the end of the night, and that's exactly what we're going to do."

***

The room was pretty bare. There was a desk with two inches of dust on it, several empty bookshelves, and a large window overlooking the courtyard outside. Mac pulled out the desk chair and dusted it off with her palm as best she could before wheeling it over to Harm. "Sit," she commanded.

Harm opened his mouth, but seemed to think better of whatever he was going to say and promptly closed it again. He sat. Mac gently put her fingers to his forehead and brushed them down his cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got shot." He barely managed to maintain eye contact as his Marine leveled her finely honed glare at him. "I can't move my arm," he confessed quietly.

"At all?"

"It's been cramping. I think my biceps finally decided they'd had enough for the day…I'm sure it's fine. Just sore and tired."

That wasn't good. Mac exchanged a nervous look with Colonel Jenkins. "Tell me what I can do, Harm."

Before he could answer, a voice boomed down the corridor from the other side of the door. "Look in every room and leave all the doors open!" All three of them immediately sprang into action and dove for cover behind the door, which promptly swung open at full force. Much to everyone's surprise, Harm caught the door with his good hand and pushed it shut, breaking the soldier's nose as he came into the room. He screamed in pain as blood poured off of his face before Harm landed a solid blow to his temple knocking him out cold.

Mac and Jenkins drew their weapons, but it was too late. Two more soldiers stormed through the door and tackled Harm to the ground. Mac and Jenkins rushed forward to pull them off, but three more men came down the hall with their guns drawn. Mac glanced over just in time to see one of their captors zap Harm with a stun gun.

"No!" she cried out and ran forward, but one of the men caught her in a tight bear hug, holding her still. Watching helplessly as Harm fell limply to the ground, Mac let one of the men take her sidearm. Jenkins, finding himself hopelessly outnumbered, did the same.

It took three men, swearing and grumbling the entire way, to carry Harm to the ballroom downstairs. Sergeant Brown stood, waiting patiently for his captives to stop near the lookout post. "Ah, they arrive at last." Mac tore her gaze away from Harm long enough to catch Brown smirk at the three of them. Before Mac even caught the movement on her side, the man holding her put the stun gun to her neck, rendering her unconscious. "About time, Colonel," Brown said as the other man placed Mac gently on the floor. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble tonight, sir."

Jenkins just glared.

"Brown, you want us to pack up?" Gates asked, trying to redeem himself.

"Yeah, Drake just finished, he's on his way down right…now!" Brown finished as their compatriot walked into the room holding up a flash drive.

"I've got it. We can go."

"Excellent. Colonel, I want you to tell me honestly how the Captain is doing," Brown demanded, nudging his gun into Jenkins' chest. Jenkins didn't respond.

Brown let out a heavy sigh and pointed the gun at Mac, lying unconscious on the floor. "I won't ask again."

Jenkins pursed his lips before saying reluctantly, "His left arm is useless."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," he ground out.

"That wasn't so hard was it?" He pointed at two of his men. "You, take him and lock him in with the other hostages." As Jenkins was pulled out of the room, two of the soldiers took care of Harm while the others packed up the equipment. Both removed their belts and secured Harm's wounded arm to his chest, while the other put a belt around Harm's waist and then took Harm's good hand and put one end of the flex cuff around his wrist and the other through the belt before tightening the band. Harm groaned as he started to regain consciousness. "Let's go, we don't have much time. They were able to call for help."

Harm slowly opened his eyes and vaguely wondered why the world seemed to be sideways until he felt something soft and textured on his cheek and realized he was lying on the floor. As his vision cleared, he saw Mac come into focus lying only a few feet away. He tensed and pulled his arm forward, but realized belatedly it was secured behind his back.

"Mac!" Harm called. She didn't move. It wouldn't have mattered. Two of Brown's men yanked him to his knees. Harm nearly lost his balance since his hands weren't free. Brown yanked his head up forcefully by grabbing a handful of Harm's hair.

"Quiet, Captain. You wouldn't want to wake her now would you?"

"You son of a – Oof!" Harm couldn't finish the sentence before Brown landed a punch squarely in Harm's gut. He pulled a needle and vial of liquid out of his pocket.

"Captain, I promise you'll learn to be much more cooperative in the next few days." Harm just stared daggers at Brown as he stuck him in the shoulder with a syringe. "Have a safe trip, Captain." A hood was placed over Harm's head, and he tried to struggle, but everything faded too quickly to black.

A few men picked Harm up off the floor and dragged him out the back door of the embassy to a waiting, inconspicuous looking SUV.

Brown looked thoughtfully at Mac lying on the floor. "You'd better take her with you."

"What the hell for? He's the only one we need," Gates argued.

"He won't cooperate unless she's with him. Trust me."

"The boss called. He's got all the information he needs. I'm telling you, we don't need her. She'll just be a nuisance. 'Sides, he's hurt too bad to be able to get away from us."

"You're missing the point, Gates. You need to be able to control him. You can't do it on your own, and this will ensure that you do."

"And you think she can?"

"I would think that if you threatened her, he'd get polite rather quickly." Brown smirked, and with a snap of his fingers Mac soon joined Harm on the trunk floor of the SUV.

The last duffle was zipped up a few seconds later, and the group made a clean getaway.

***

Mac woke up feeling like a ton of bricks was resting on her head. Her vision finally cleared and adjusted to the dim light. She groaned aloud as she realized she was in some kind of metal bunker. The walls and ceiling were a darkish gray color, while the floor was simply cement. She sat up on the cot they had left her on and looked to the other side of the room. Harm was lying on another cot up against the other wall.

"Harm!" She rushed over to him. "Harm, wake up!" He didn't answer. He was no longer wearing his dress uniform, but black fatigues with the sleeve rolled up on his left arm. Mac was surprised to see their captors had treated his gunshot wound, and Harm now sported a metal splint from his wrist all the way up to his shoulder that bent at the elbow and was nestled in a sling. Aside from the splint and being unconscious he seemed to be okay.

There wasn't much else in the room, besides the big heavy metal door that only had a metal plate where the doorknob used to be. 'So much for finding a way out,' Mac mused to herself. Some kind of plug with an extendable cord that pulled out of it was on the wall next to Harm's cot. Mac looked around again and this time she saw four more of them on the walls. She didn't even want to think about what those were for.

Her eyes eventually came to rest on a set of black fatigues sitting at the end of her cot. Thankful they hadn't decided to change her themselves, she quickly changed out of the now filthy borrowed clothes and into the fresher, better fitting ones.

Harm groaned softly in his sleep.

Mac shook his shoulder gently and called his name, but he didn't stir again. Figuring it could be hours until either Harm woke up or someone came for them, she decided to get more comfortable. Mac climbed up onto Harm's cot and gently lifted his shoulders so she could sit down with her back against the wall. Just as gently, she let his head rest on her lap and started slowly rubbing her fingers through his hair.

And the waiting began.

***

Bud was slowly going insane. He was on his 27th lap around the bullpen. Cresswell had called Harm, but there was no answer. He had originally been pacing around the General's office while they waited for Harm and Mac to call back, but after a few short minutes, the General had ordered him out of the room in a huff for driving him crazy.

That had been over an hour ago.

Something must have gone wrong. Bud didn't want to think anything had gone wrong, but by now it was pretty obvious that something had most definitely gone wrong. After trying Harm's cell phone twice and not getting an answer, the General had contacted every law enforcement agency in Great Britain and demanded something be done, or he would send in a SEAL team as soon as the President approved it.

They'd gotten the approval from the President an hour ago, but with it came an agreement with the British Prime Minister's office that local law enforcement would try and solve the problem first, and if that didn't work, only then would a SEAL team be ordered in to diffuse the situation. They assured the General that everything was being taken care of. Teams were already in the area and they'd have an update for him soon.

The phone in Bud's office started ringing and he all but flew across the bullpen and dove for the receiver on his desk. "Lt. Commander Roberts."

"Sir, it's Coates."

"Jen! How are you?" Bud heard the words coming out of his mouth and realized what a stupid question that was.

"Sir, the Captain and the Colonel went to the Embassy this evening, and now a hostage situation there has been all over the news. Mattie called me in a panic, and we can't reach either of them on their cell phones. Do you know what's going on, sir?"

Oh, no.

"Sir?" Jen paused. "You know don't you." It wasn't a question.

"We got a call from Colonel Mackenzie a while ago, they were both okay, but we haven't been able to reach them since." Bud glanced up at the panel of monitors displaying various news channels above the desks. ZNN was now showing hostages coming out of the American Embassy, but he didn't recognize the Captain's familiar, tall form. The General chose that moment to walk into the bullpen, and seeing Bud on the phone made his way toward his office.

"They're right in the middle of this aren't they, sir?"

Bud saw the General come in. "Is that them?"

"No, sir, it's Petty Officer Coates…Jen, as soon as we know anything I'll call you back okay?"

"Okay, sir. What should I tell Mattie?"

"Tell her we love her and to hang in there…Bye." Bud hung up the phone and snapped to attention. "Sorry, sir."

"Don't be. I just got off the phone with Corporal Martins; he was second in command at the embassy. Apparently their Sergeant went rogue on them and helped outside forces take over the embassy."

"Sir, with all due respect, please don't make me defend him…"

"You won't get the chance, Commander, no one will. He's gone. So are Rabb and Mackenzie. No one can find them anywhere and they haven't returned home or back to the base. Colonel Jenkins seems to think they were kidnapped since they were singled out from the rest of the hostages."

"They don't have any leads do they." It wasn't a question.

"None. They sent in a K-9 unit to search for them."

"That could take hours, sir."

"If they can even find a trail to follow."

"Why do you think they took them, sir? Ransom demand?"

"I hope so."

"Sir?"

"That would mean they're still alive, Commander."


	4. Chapter 4

Mac was just starting to seriously worry when Harm finally stirred. "Harm?"

An incoherent groan was her only response. That was a good sign. That was the groan he always gave her when she had to wake him up for some reason or another. She wasn't even sure he did it consciously.

"Harm?" she asked a little louder.

Harm opened his eyes, which immediately fixed on Mac hovering over him. He had a brief moment of déjà vu and was disoriented for a second before he remembered what happened. "Mac…" That was all he could get out on his first try. He swallowed hard.

"Hey. Welcome back sailor."

"Are you okay?"

Mac gave him a soft smile. "My headache disappeared about an hour ago." Harm took a deep breath and tried to sit up, but Mac held him down. "Just relax. There's nowhere to go anyway."

Harm glanced around and quickly realized she was right. He also realized his arm was starting to hurt like hell. "What the hell did they do?" He asked, feeling the splint with his right hand.

"I don't know. The splint and bandages were just…there."

"How long have I been out?"

"It's been three hours, six minutes, and nineteen seconds since I came to."

Harm swiveled around in concern. "You were unconscious?"

"It was just a tranquilizer. I'm sure of it…Are you in much pain?" Mac saw the brief flicker in his eyes that meant he was about to tell one of his famous white lies. "Don't you dare sugar coat it, Rabb."

Harm took another deep breath. "It's not too bad." Harm amended that statement when Mac raised her eyebrow. "Okay, it's pretty bad. It doesn't feel broken though. I think it's just sore…I'm gonna sit up."

"All right…just…go slow." Mac helped him as he slowly sat up, then turned to lean against the wall. He tipped his head back, and the grimace passed his face so quickly Mac almost missed it completely. "I wish there was something I could do," she told him as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"You're doing it," he told her sincerely. "Do you know what time it is?"

"0538. We must still be in London, or nearby in the country somewhere. There wasn't enough time to take us anywhere else, and crossing a border would have been too tricky to be worthwhile."

"That's a good point." Harm grabbed her hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad they didn't separate us."

The door suddenly burst open and a southern drawl answered, "Well, I wanted to but the boss wouldn't let me."

Lewis Beecham's presence stunned the two officers, and they were even more surprised when Joel Yarrow stepped through the hatch.

"That's right, I wou'n't."

Beecham was armed with a shotgun and took up a defensive position next to the door. As Yarrow moved closer Harm and Mac stood up. Before Mac had a chance to argue, Harm strategically placed himself between her and Joel. That didn't stop her from peeking out from around his back though.

"I ain't gonna hurt her. This is strictly business."

"Well you'll forgive me if I don't trust you right now."

"Ya'll don't have to trust me. I'm the one in charge here." He brought up a pistol and pointed it straight at Harm's chest. "And ya'll ain't exactly in a position to be negotiatin' this time JAG."

Harm was smart enough to keep his retort to himself with a gun pointed at him. Mac put a comforting hand on his back.

"So what now? Are you just going to keep us locked away in here forever?"

"Course not."

"You downloaded the satellite photos of troop movements in Iraq from the Embassy computers. What else did you take?"

"Ha! I told you he'd figure it out didn't I Lewis? Updated lists of terrorist cells and their possible locations just come in a few days 'go."

"What do you need them for?"

"I'm so glad you asked, Cap'n…Billy!" Yarrow yelled. Another man ran in from the hallway. "Get the Cap'n ready to go."

This time Mac was the one that jumped in front of Harm. "Leave him alone."

Yarrow turned his weapon and aimed it at Mac's chest. "Ya'll got my word we ain't gonna hurt ya. But ya'll gotta cooperate or I can't make no promises."

"Mac…" Harm said softly, putting his hand up and gently rubbing her shoulder. She turned to face him, her straight face completely masking her fear for his safety. "It's okay. I'll be fine."

Despite his assurances, Mac instantly got suspicious and narrowed her eyes at him. "If you even _think_ about trying out your superpowers I'll break your other arm."

Harm grinned. "Yes, ma'am." Mac stepped aside and he moved toward Yarrow.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast."

Billy moved forward with a pair of handcuffs.

Harm let out a deep sigh. "Look. You've got my word I won't try anything all right? Those really aren't necessary."

Joel glanced at Lewis. "Don't look at me. I'd make him wear 'em and you know it Joel."

"All right. I'll tell you what. Your little lady here'll be safe while you're gone, but ya'll gotta earn my trust."

Harm nodded. "Fair enough."

Billy grabbed Harm's good wrist and cuffed it to his belt loop behind his back. After blindfolding Harm, the three men left the room leaving Mac standing in the cell by herself.

The men lead Harm down a hallway up a few flights of stairs, down a few more hallways, and finally into a control room of sorts. Yarrow none too gently guided Harm into a chair by a table and removed the blindfold.

Harm immediately noticed the Freedom Fighters' motto hanging prominently on the wall along with pictures and names of terrorists who were on several agencies most wanted lists. Harm recognized several from when he was still with the CIA. That was about all he could recognize though. Modern computer stations lined another wall with plasma screens above them showing their status.

"This is quite a setup you've got here."

"We like to think so."

Harm could see he wasn't going to get anywhere with small talk. "Why don't you just tell me what it is you seem to think I can do for you so the Colonel and I can go home?" No one had mentioned anything about them being married yet, and if they didn't know, Harm sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to tell them.

"Whatsamatter Navy? They make you call your wife by her rank?"

"Put a sock in it, Lewis. Go outside and guard the door. The last thing I need is a Marine running around unattended." When Lewis just glowered at Harm he said with a little more force, "Get!"

"All right, Joel. All right." Lewis left and Harm relaxed slightly. If Joel wasn't in the room, Harm had a feeling he might find out what it was like to be used as a punching bag. Yarrow seemed to read his thoughts.

"Ya'll don't need to worry about him. He has his orders."

"I find I live longer if I worry about those things anyway…Now what's the deal Yarrow?"

"Three things. Simple really. You're gonna help us fundraise for our cause, you're gonna analyze this surveillance data we've got mountains of, and then you and your little Colonel're gonna provide us with a tactical plan."

"Analyze."

"Yup."

"I was never trained to analyze data like that," Harm lied.

Yarrow just smiled. "See, now I thought you might try and say something like that." He walked over to one of the workstations and grabbed a huge file folder, opened it, and set it on the table in front of Harm. It was obviously his service record, but the unabridged version with the CIA filler pages and detailed accounts of his training on special military equipment, including sniper rifles, bomb squad diffusion techniques, all the aircraft he was currently cleared to fly, and satellite surveillance.

Damn.

"Wanna rethink that last part?"

Harm just took a deep breath and looked at the floor. He didn't know what they were planning and he didn't want to know. "Look-"

"No. You look. Your wellbein' and that of the Colonel's downstairs is hingin' on ya'll's cooperation…It's all right. First things first. We need money to fund this here operation, and you're going to get it for us."

Harm snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm in the Navy. I'm not exactly rich."

Yarrow pulled another page from his service record. "I hear La Jolla is beautiful this time of year."

"You son of a bitch." Harm grunted as Yarrow backhanded him across the face. He felt the blood slowly start to trickle down the side of his mouth.

"Next time, I'll hit your pretty little wife."

"You touch one hair on her head-"

"You know yer not doing a very good job of earning my trust here mister."

"I won't help you blackmail my family."

"You're going to call them, you're going to ask for 4.7 million dollars, you're going to tell them why, and then you're going to hang up."

"And why exactly am I asking them to do this?"

"Simple." Yarrow took his gun off the table and turned off the safety. He loaded a bullet into the chamber before putting the muzzle to Harm's temple.

Harm hesitated. He had to ask his next question very carefully. He forced himself to relax his shoulders. "I need to know the rules of engagement."

Yarrow lowered the weapon. "No giving hints about the location and no telling them who we are."

"I don't think Frank's just going to hand the money over unless he really believes we're okay and he knows who you are."

"You just tell him we've got your pretty little wife." He looked down at his gun to make his point. "No names."

Harm and Yarrow locked stares for a good minute before Harm finally decided he was serious. "4.7?"

"We're a non-profit organization. That's all we need…This ain't goin' into my pocket Cap'n, this is strictly business." He pulled Harm's cell phone out of his pocket and turned it on. "What's the number?"

"Seven on speed dial."

Yarrow dialed the number and Frank's cell phone came up on the caller ID. When Frank answered, he held the phone to Harm's ear and the gun to his temple. "No funny business," he whispered.

Harm nodded his understanding. "Hey, Frank it's Harm."

"Harm? Thank God! The Embassy has been all over the news, we've been worried sick about you and Mac. Are you all right?"

"Um…" Harm glanced at the berretta pointed at his head. "Not really, no." There was a long pause. "Look, Frank I just need you to listen for a minute and then do exactly what I tell you to do."

Frank had a feeling he knew what was coming. He also knew there was nothing on Earth that was going to prepare him for the words coming out of his son's mouth. "There's no other way to tell you this then to just say it…I was kidnapped. Their leader-" Harm broke off and grunted as Yarrow hit him again.

"Try again," he ordered as the older man pressed the gun hard enough to bruise into his temple.

"They told me to tell you they want 4.7 million dollars."

"Harm I don't have that kind of cash laying around the house. It's in banks, stocks, bonds, real estate…What do you need me to do?"

Harm felt like a parrot as he relayed Yarrow's instructions. "I'll text you an account number. Wire as many transactions as you need into that account. You have until the end of the week."

"Harm I'll do the best I can as fast as I can. In the mean time, are you safe?"

Harm hesitated. He wasn't sure how to answer that, but he thought Frank would appreciate candor at this point, and he wasn't sure he could get away with lying in his predicament. "They've got Mac, and…there's a gun to my head, Frank."

"I'll take care of it Harm. I promise." Frank was doing his best not to panic.

"Frank…they have Mac. I wouldn't have called…"

He didn't need to finish the sentence. Frank understood immediately. Harm was trying to keep Mac safe by doing what his captors asked, and Frank was supposed to keep Harm safe by doing what his captors asked. This was turning into one very precariously stacked house of cards. "It's all right Harm. I understand. How should I contact you?"

Harm nodded as Yarrow whispered more instructions. "I'll be in touch Frank….And Frank? Maybe we should keep Mom out of this."

Frank didn't know how to respond to that. Why should they? Was Harm trying to tell him something? Or did he really just not want her to worry herself to death? Frank took the safe route, "How come?"

"You remember a couple years ago when I got shot on that training mission with Kurt? And then Mac and I were missing and Bud and AJ had to come find us? Let's not make her go through something like that again, huh?"

Training mission? Kurt? Frank was pretty sure they were talking in code now, and he was positive he didn't understand a word of it.

"I think you're right, not telling her would be best."

Yarrow whispered more instructions and Harm passed them on. "Frank, you'll get a call in 24 hours to check on your progress." Frank heard some muffled voices, a thump, a grunt, and then Harm came back on the line. "If you haven't made any they'll make things worse for us. They're serious, Frank."

There was a soft click.

Frank could only stare at the phone in his hand after the line went dead.


	5. Chapter 5

Harm's left eye was slowly starting to swell shut. Yarrow just glared at him. "I thought I told you no funny business when we were on that there phone. If you'd just kept your mouth shut and said what I told you to instead of sassing me, ya'll wouldn't be half blind by now."

Harm didn't trust himself not to make another smart-alec remark that had earned him the black eye in the first place, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Lewis!" The eager man burst into the room almost instantaneously. "Take the Captain back to his lady."

"Sure Joel." He grabbed Harm's shirt and yanked him out of the chair. "Let's go." Lewis set down his shotgun and pulled out the blindfold and his pistol. Harm saw the look in his eye before the black cloth obstructed his vision and knew Beecham was enjoying every second he got to hold the gun to his side as he was escorted back to the cell.

A few minutes later, Harm heard the door open, and he was suddenly pushed hard from behind. Without the use of his arms, he lost his balance and fell forward making a grunt as he crashed into the floor.

Mac had jumped up off the cot as soon as the door opened, but wasn't quick enough to catch Harm before he fell. She pulled off his blindfold as the door slammed shut and the lock slid into place. Mac gasped when she saw the bruise forming on Harm's face.

"Oh, God."

"It's okay, just…" Harm struggled to control his breathing, "Just help me roll over." It was an awkward task since his arm was still cuffed behind his back, but when that was done, he offered a weak explanation. "It's not as bad as it looks."

Mac noticed his fat lip when he finally spoke more clearly. "Very funny, Fat Lip."

"Fat Lip? What happened to Stick Boy?"

"It no longer applies."

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"I'm just saying you have a fat lip."

"Uh, huh."

The door opened and someone came in with a large tray of food, a couple of plastic cups, and a pitcher of water. Noticing Harm was still cuffed, the young militiaman waved in a colleague from the hall and then walked over and freed his right arm.

"Thank you," Harm told him sincerely.

The kid simply nodded and the two left the room.

Mac sighed. "We're never going to get out of here if they keep ganging up on us in pairs."

"I think that's the idea." Harm stood up and did a few stretches. Mac came up behind him and ran her hand gently up his back.

Harm turned and pulled her into a hug. Mac reached up and wiped the blood off his chin. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"He made me call Frank."

"Oh no."

"They want 4.7 million dollars."

Mac's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "Are your parents even worth that much?"

"Much more, actually. But it's not like he has the money just sitting around the house."

Mac reached down and picked up the tray nodding towards the cot. They walked over and sat down with the tray in between them. "Looks like…" Mac picked up a piece of bread, "Ham sandwiches." She looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, sailor."

Harm grabbed one anyway. "I'm so hungry I'd eat a burger right now."

Mac snorted. "I want that in writing."

Harm took a gulp of water. "I'm going to take you out to a pub for a burger and the biggest plate of fries you've ever seen when we get out of this."

"I'll definitely look forward to that."

***

Bud was snoring softly, his face resting against several papers on his desk. He'd long ago fallen asleep waiting for the phone to ring. When it finally did, he snapped upright. A paper stuck to his face, and several others to flew onto the floor. He was fully awake by the time he ripped the paper from his cheek and picked up the receiver.

"Lieutenant Commander Roberts."

"Commander, it's Frank Barnett. I'm glad you're still at JAG, this is the number Harm gave us at headquarters in case there was ever an emergency."

"Oh! As in Harm's dad, sir?" Bud couldn't figure out why in the world Harm would have given his parents his number until he realized where he was. When the Captain and Colonel left for London, Bud had inherited Mac's old office and everything in it, including the phone extention. So technically, Harm had given them Mac's number to call. Not that it surprised him…

"Yes, yes. I'm afraid something has happened, and…to be honest I'm not quite sure what to do about it."

"You've seen the news about the Embassy haven't you, sir?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"There isn't really a whole lot I can tell you, sir, other than we're doing everything we can to-"

"No, no, Commander, you don't understand. Harm contacted me."

Bud stood up so fast he knocked his chair over. "He did? When?"

"Just a few minutes ago."

"Did he say where he was? Are they all right?"

"I believe they're fine for the time being…perhaps I should speak with your commanding officer. General Cresswell is still the JAG correct?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. Just a minute, sir, I'll put you right through." Bud put the call on hold and blew through the bullpen before once again crashing into the General's office.

The General didn't even look up this time. "Really, Commander, a simple tap on the door before you come bursting through it is all I'm asking for."

"Sir, Captain Rabb's father is on the phone. He says Harm called him."

Creswell saw the line flashing a hold light and stabbed it and then the speakerphone. "General Creswell."

"General, Frank Barnett, Harm's step-dad."

"You've been in contact with him?"

"Not by choice I'm afraid."

"I was afraid of that."

"I'm to wire 4.7 million dollars into an account, and Harm and Mac will be released."

"To whom? Did he say anything about who has them or where they are?"

"It was clear that Harm was parroting whatever his captor was telling him, but I got the distinct impression Harm knew him."

Creswell and Bud locked stares. They _knew_ him?

"I think he was trying to tell me something," Frank went on, "But I don't have a clue what it means. I was hoping you could help."

"First of all, don't pay the ransom. Not a cent. We'll lose our bargaining power. What exactly did he say?"

"Just a moment, I wrote it all down…Here we go. He said, 'Maybe we should keep Mom out of this. A couple years ago I got shot on that training mission with Kurt. And Mac and I were missing and Bud and AJ had to come find us? Let's not make her go through that again.' I'm just not sure what it all means. It's been…more than twenty years since Harm was shot that I know of, and he didn't even know Mac back then…"

Bud was frantically scribbling every word on a legal pad the General handed him.

"We'll start working on this right away. In the meantime, I'm going to send a Marine squad to your residence to accompany you to Washington via military transport. If they have your phone number, they know where you are. I'd like to know your safe, and we could use your help from this end."

"Thank you. I'll be in touch, General."

They hung up. "All right, Commander what have you got?"

Bud was now seated at one of the guest chairs in front of Creswell's desk. "Sir, Harm and Mac used to wind up missing all the time. I think the key to identifying their captors is in the other clues he gave us."

"Like being shot, only, he was never shot on any such occasion."

"Exactly."

They were silent for a moment.

"So we're stuck, aren't we sir?"

Creswell yelled, "Baker!"

His yeoman immediately came into the room. "Yes, sir."

"Call Admiral Chegwidden and ask him to come to JAG. Tell him it's an emergency."

Less than twenty minutes later was there a knock on the door. Bud and the General had mapped everything they knew out on a rolling bulletin board, and were now pouring over Harm and Mac's old case files.

"Enter!"

"What'd they get themselves into this time, Gordon?"

Bud leapt from his chair and rushed over to shake his former mentor's hand. "It's great to see you sir."

AJ smiled warmly. "You too Bud, but I have the feeling we're not going to have time to catch up are we?"

Bud shook his head sadly.

Creswell came around his desk. "Good to see you AJ. I wish the circumstances were better."

"Your yeoman said it was an emergency…Harm didn't crash again did he?"

"No, sir, but this is worse maybe." Bud paused before continuing. "Admiral, Harm and Mac were kidnapped. They're being held for ransom."

"That boy finds more ways to get into trouble than Tom Sawyer…Do we have any leads?"

"Rabb called his father and told him his captors," Creswell paused and glanced at his notes, "Want 4.7 million dollars in exchange for their safe release. He didn't mention anything about their location, but his father seemed to think he was trying to tell him something and called us immediately. He's on his way here now with Harm's mother."

AJ nodded but didn't interrupt the flow of information. Bud picked up the summary.

"He said 'Maybe we should keep Mom out of this. A couple years ago I got shot on that training mission with Kurt. And Mac and I were missing and Bud and AJ had to come find us? Let's not make her go through that again.' I'm not sure what he's getting at, sir. There were several times that I can think of when Harm and Mac were missing."

AJ flashed the smallest smile in recollection of the many times his two top ranking officers had scared the hell out of him. "Do you have it written down, Bud?"

"Yes, sir." Bud handed him the paper.

AJ only had to stare at it for a few seconds before a look of recognition came over his face. "He's using a standard pairing code. He had to alter the sentence structure so they wouldn't catch on to what he was doing…" He grabbed a legal pad off the desk and a pen and started scribbling. When he was done he showed the officers what he'd done. He'd written two columns with four rows.

Mom: Harm

Shot (Training): Kurt

Harm and Mac: Bud and AJ

"Curtis Rivers was on that training mission when that young boy was shot. If I remember their report correctly, the mother was quite upset. Harm and Mac were missing for almost two days on that assignment before we finally got them out. He wasn't referring to himself being shot, it was the relationship between the mother and son that was important."

"Wow," Bud said. "I was there and I don't think I would have thought of all that. Maybe that's why he mentioned you, sir."

"If he was anticipating making contact with someone he would have come up with a message long in advance."

"I wouldn't have thought something like this, though."

"He must have been counting on my intelligence training to see what he was trying to say."

"You're both forgetting the most important problem here." Creswell said. "Now we know what mission he was referring to, but we still don't know anything about their captors."

"The boy's father was part of some freedom fighter group. Weren't they associated with that one bomber guy?" Bud asked.

"Toobin, right?"

Bud zipped around to the General's computer and typed the name into NCIS's criminal database. Sure enough a few seconds later, his picture appeared along with a list of known associates. "Here. Yarrow. That's the boy's father. It says here they started calling themselves the Founding Fathers Patriots about four years ago."

"They wanted to hang Rivers for shooting that boy. They hated the military," AJ added.

"I'd better notify NCIS and Interpol." Creswell said as he picked up the phone.


	6. Chapter 6

TWO DAYS LATER

F.F.P. HEADQUARTERS

NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND

Harm and Mac were dozing peacefully on Harm's cot in their little cell. Curled up behind her, Harm pulled Mac a little closer and tugged their blanket up a little higher. Mac felt him move and murmured softly.

"You okay?"

"Fine. Just a little cold."

Mac turned to face him and wrapped her arms around him and pulled the blanket even tighter. She kissed him soundly. "Better?" She asked between kisses.

"Much…What time is it?"

"0756. Breakfast should be here soon."

They were quiet for a few moments as they snuggled together.

"It's been two days since they took you to the control room," Mac started, "What do you think is happening?" Mac glanced at the floor and all the satellite and surveillance photos scattered about.

"I don't know. Frank must have put some money into the account, or they would have made me call him again…Or they're contacting him directly now."

"I'm surprised they were satisfied with the analysis you gave them. They seemed so eager to utilize our military expertise."

"I still don't get it. I mean, what could they possibly need to know the location of faction groups in Iraq for?"

"I wonder if that's how they're filling their arsenal. Black market trading?"

"It's possible. It's not common, but it's not unheard of for the Army to lose the weapons citizens turn over. That would certainly explain where all those weapons are going. Wait a minute. Wasn't Sergeant Brown in Iraq until a few months ago?"

"Yeah, he just rotated in. You don't think he was creating a weapons cache and selling them to the highest bidder do you?"

"It would explain the M-16s used in the embassy attack and the weapons they have here. You can't just buy one of those SPAS shotguns if you're on the FBI alert list. At least I hope you can't."

"So I guess the next question is what are they planning on doing with all these weapons? Separatists haven't exactly engaged in open rebellion in the United States in the last two hundred years."

"That's a scary thought. A civil war?" Harm thought for a minute and then answered his own question. "No. There's not enough of them. They're no where near organized enough for a coup on that scale."

"What if they found a way to unite _all _the separatist groups? There's got to be dozens of them."

"They couldn't do something on that scale without the FBI or the CIA having some kind of intel on what was happening. It couldn't get that far…Right?"

"Let's hope not. The military is stretched thin enough as it is. We're not ready for a full-scale attack on U.S. soil."

They were quiet for another moment.

"Mac we can't just keep sitting here."

"You aren't in any condition to be tackling guards and running for an exit. We don't even know where the exit is or how many guards we're up against."

"When has that ever stopped us?"

Mac sighed.

Harm sat up and Mac followed suit. He started whispering. "Okay. Should we try for the hide-behind-the-door routine or the help-my-partner-is-sick ruse?"

"If you weren't already injured I'd say the door, but they might actually fall for the illness routine."

"Okay. Say I have a fever. Then I'll pretend to pass out." Harm rubbed his face and pinched his cheeks instantly making them red and warm. He flicked a few droplets of water on his forehead.

"Beads of sweat? Nice touch."

"Thanks. Okay." With that, Harm collapsed backward onto the cot and didn't move.

Mac pretended to panic. She sprang up off the cot and started pounding on the door.

"Help! You have to help him! He's burning up! Help! I think he's really sick!"

"Move away from the door!" Was the command from the hallway. Two soldiers came in with guns drawn and left it slightly ajar.

"He's running a fever, I think his arm is infected."

The younger of the two stood closest to Mac. "I'll watch her you check on him."

The other nodded and moved over to the cot. He put his hand up to Harm's cheek. And glanced back at his partner. "He does feel warm. We should-"

Everything after that happened incredibly fast. Harm's fist flew off the cot and knocked the one man to the side. The other guy was distracted long enough for Mac to kick the gun out of his hand and land two punches to knock him out cold. Harm's guard went down seconds later.

Scooping up the weapons and keys to the room, they headed for the door.

Mac closed the door quietly behind them and locked it. "Which way?" she whispered.

"When they took me to the command center, we went that way." Harm pointed right down the corridor. "So…left?"

Mac nodded and they started off. Mac took the lead while Harm walked backwards right behind her keeping an eye on both her and the other end of the corridor.

After several twists and turns, Mac finally saw what looked like a door leading to the outside. "Harm, we're almost there. About thirty yards down the corridor to the right."

"I'm right behind –"

A shot rang out.

Harm turned his head back down the hallway and instantly fired back, hitting their attacker square in the chest. He fell to the floor and didn't move. Shouts could be heard from the direction they had come in. Pounding footsteps soon followed.

"Harm, come on." Mac grabbed his elbow and tried to turn him toward the door.

"Mac…go."

"I am _not _leaving you."

"Mac, please. We don't have time for this."

"Don't be ridiculous." Mac reached for his hand, but Harm just gave her hand a squeeze.

"Mac…go. They'll catch up unless I stay behind and give you cover. One of needs to get out of here and go get help."

"Then I'll stay behind and cover you."

"Like that's really gonna happen," Harm told her, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"I won't leave you behind."

"I know you'll come back for me."

"They'll _kill_ you."

"No they won't. I'm their meal ticket. They need me."

"So do I."

"Then leave and go get help." The footsteps got louder. "Mac, please."

"Harm..."

Harm saw a shadow coming around the corner in the hall and fired, hoping to hold them back for a while. "Go!"

Against her better judgment, Mac bolted for the door and ran into the sunlight. Finding herself outside what appeared to be a warehouse on the far outskirts of town, she took off at a sprint toward the nearest road.

Meanwhile, Harm was doing a fairly decent job of keeping the rest of the militia group at bay. He saw a gun barrel poke around the corner and fired again, but then the barrel locked. The clip was empty. Not wanting to get shot again, he threw the now useless weapon down the hall in surrender.

The young soldiers swarmed on him almost immediately. One ran over and checked their fallen comrade. "He's dead. He's DEAD!" He raised his gun and pointed it right at Harm. "You KILLED him!"

The three other men in the hall forced Harm onto his stomach. One ripped the brace off of his arm and then cuffed his hands behind his back. Harm winced and tried not to cry out.

The kid yelling at him came closer. "Where's the girl? WHERE IS SHE?" He was shaking the pistol close to Harm's head.

One of the guys securing Harm grabbed the pistol away from the kid. "Relax! Get Joel on the radio." He turned to Harm. "Where is she?" he asked firmly.

Harm just smirked at him. His captor squeezed his injured arm.

Harm groaned.

"Where is she?"

"Go to hell," came the pained reply.

Joel and Lewis came tearing around the corner with a black duffel bag. "Get him in the van. Go to site B. We're packing up here, we'll be there within the hour." He threw a black hood at one of the men, who pulled it over Harm's head. "Don't sedate him." He tossed the bag down and headed back to the command center.

Lewis pulled a set off shackles out of the bag and placed them securely around Harm's wrists and ankles, and then removed the cuffs. Harm just lay there, not wanting to provoke them any more than he already had.

"Roll over."

Harm did and they pulled him to a standing position. He almost fell when they pulled him forward but they held onto him and half pushed, half dragged him to the van waiting just outside the door. Harm was chained to the floor of the cargo area, and the van sped out of the parking lot in a cloud of dust.

***

Mac ran at a dead sprint for ten minutes before her adrenaline rush finally started to fade. She slowed to a jog and took a look around. There was a pub at the end of the block. Surely someone would have a phone she could borrow there.

***

Same Time

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, VA

General Creswell and Bud were sitting in the conference room. After two days of gathering intelligence on the Founding Fathers militia group, they were pooling their resources to, hopefully, come up with an extraction plan. One that AJ argued should involve SEALS.

Bud was about to point out on a map where all of their known meeting places were when Ensign Tiner burst through the door.

"Doesn't anyone in this building knock?"

"Sir, I'm sorry but Colonel Mackenzie is on line three for you, sir."

Bud was sitting closer to the phone, so he stabbed it on. "Ma'am? Are you all right?"

"Bud?"

"We're both here Colonel. Are you okay?" Creswell asked.

"For now, sir. Harm and I managed to get away, but I…we had to split up. I don't know where he is now. I ran for a while and then I just stopped to find a phone…" Mac stopped talking, practically gasping for breath.

"Mac, slow down. Where are you?"

There were some muffled voices before Mac came on the line again and rattled off an address in London.

"Colonel, sit tight. I'm sending a marine squad to escort you back to the base."

"The admiral will be with them ma'am."

"Admiral Hines?"

"Chegwidden actually, ma'am. He's been helping the search teams in London for the past two days."

"General, if Harm was caught they would have moved to a different location. If we wait too long we may not be able to find him again."

FFC WAREHOUSE

OUTSIDE LONDON

"Oof! Hey, come on." Harm protested as he was half shoved, half dragged into a room at the back of the warehouse. He noted with dismay that it was set up almost identically to the last holding room he was in.

Lewis kicked Harm hard in the back of the knee. He immediately lost his balance and fell to his knees in front of one of the cots. Two men stood guard while Lewis took a key and removed the chain from the shackles on Harm's wrists. He then took a plug from the wall and pulled revealing an extendable cord. He locked it into the shackle on Harm's good arm effectively securing Harm to the wall. Harm groaned when Lewis jostled his broken arm.

"Don't you go no where," Lewis gloated.

"Go to hell."

Lewis made a move to backhand him, but Yarrow walked into the room and called him off. "Hey! Go make sure the buildin's secure."

"Joel-"

"Go on, get." Yarrow made a good attempt to stare Harm into submission, but wasn't really surprised when it didn't work.

"Let me go. The authorities won't be that far behind."

"You may think you don't need to cooperate 'cause your little lady friend ain't here no more," Yarrow told him as he put the brace back on Harm's injured arm, "But I can assure you, things will only get worse from now on if you don't cooperate. Next time Lewis feels like hittin' y'all, I may not see fit to stop him."

"You wanna spare me the super villain riff and tell me why I'm still here? I analyzed those photos like you asked."

"We've got a ransom to collect."

"Ah, yes. That's kind of a cliché though, isn't it? I'm a Naval officer. The U.S. Government won't pay a ransom for me."

"Of course the gov'ment won't. Your family will though."

"I doubt it, since they no doubt informed my commanding officer what's going on."

"Are you _trying_ to give me more reasons to kill you?"

"I thought you were a Christian? Is kidnapping me your one-way ticket to heaven?" Harm emphasized his point by tugging on the cord attached to his wrist. "Look, you let me go right now, and I'll forget where to find you."

"You won't even know your way home once we get to our final destination."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"You know there's only two ways out of a hostage situation if you're the captor right?" Yarrow didn't reply, so Harm explained it to him. "Handcuffs or a body bag."

"They'll have to find you first."

"SEALs are good at that you know."

Yarrow smirked at his "empty" threat and left the room. Harm could only hope that AJ had gotten the message he'd sent and that Mac had made a clean getaway. He had no idea what was in store for him next.

---

RICHARD'S PUB

JUST OUTSIDE LONDON

Mac sat at the bar eating a hardy helping of chicken potpie. After hearing her story on the phone, the bartender had taken pity on her and insisted she eat something. She tried to tell him she didn't have any money with her to order anything, but he'd here nothing of it. She wasn't leaving his pub until she'd had a proper meal. She'd finished the generous meal in less than ten minutes, but that was enough time for AJ and his team of MPs to get there. She wasn't the least bit surprised when he burst through the door.

"Mac?"

"Here, sir." She got up from the barstool wearily.

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"No, sir, I'm fine."

"Come on."

Mac turned to the bartender on the way out. "Thank you again."

"Not at all. Come back anytime."

Mac smiled and then followed AJ to a waiting SUV at the curb. They climbed into the back seat and Mac all but deflated, unable to keep up the public appearance any longer. She didn't even bother putting her seatbelt on as the car headed for the hospital. Leaning forward, Mac rested her elbows on her knees and put her head in her hands. She let out a long sigh.

"Do you need anything, darlin'?" AJ asked softly.

Boy, was that a loaded question. She settled for an explanation instead. "I left him behind."

"A strike force team is already on the way to the warehouse. You did what was necessary to get help in a bad situation, Mac. You did exactly the right thing."

Mac just shook her head. "He was hurt. I should have stayed with him…I _should_ have learned that lesson in Paraguay."

Not knowing the meaning behind that last statement, but determined to find out later, AJ put his arm around her and she gratefully sagged into his embrace. It had been a long three days. "He told you to go, didn't he?"

"Yes. That doesn't make it right."

"You both made the right decision."

Mac sat up and took a deep breath, offering her former CO a small smile. "I'm glad you're here, sir. It's good to see you."

He smiled. "Well, I didn't have any place I needed to be other than bail my troublemaking officers out of another jam…And it's AJ." He paused for a moment as Mac glanced out the window and finally realized where they were headed.

"I'm not going to the hospital, AJ. I'm fine."

"It's standard procedure after you've been held captive, Mac, you know that." Mac opened her mouth to object, but he stopped her with a hand in the air. "You're getting checked out and that's final. Besides, I've already called Jen and Mattie and they're meeting us at the hospital."

Mac actually winced. So much had happened she hadn't even considered how Mattie might be reacting to all this. "How's she doing?"

"Better than I thought she was going to be, actually. Harm's mother is pretty upset, but they got the ransom demand."

"Frank didn't pay it did he?"

"No, Creswell told him not to. They're in Washington under protective custody just in case."

"That's good."

"Don't sound so excited."

"I'm sorry, it's just…I don't think they were going to let us go even after they had the money. They had something else planned."

"I don't suppose you know what?"

"No," Mac said with deep regret. "They told us very little; only what we needed to know so Harm could do what they asked him to."

"You mentioned something about satellite photos before?"

"The ones they stole from the Embassy, yes. They needed someone to analyze them. Harm had the training when he was with the CIA. He said they had an unabridged version of his service record."

"_I've _never even seen the unabridged version of that man's service record." AJ paused. "Mac, he's not still working for them is he?"

"No." She said it with such confidence, AJ wouldn't have questioned her if it weren't for his past experiences with supposed "ex" CIA officers.

"Are you _sure?_"

"He promised, AJ. He tells me when something comes up, but he hasn't been on an actual mission for them since he landed that C-130 on the Seahawk. I'm sure of it."

UNKNOWN TIME

FFP STRONGHOLD

20 MILES NORTH OF FALLUJAH, IRAQ

Harm was beginning to wish he'd never allowed Kershaw to talk him into joining the CIA. He corrected himself. He was far past beginning. If a time machine were to appear in front of him at that very moment, he'd go back to that meeting and Langley and not so politely tell Kershaw, and Webb, for that matter, to stuff it.

The only problem with that plan was if a time machine were sitting in front of him, unlikely as the case may be, he'd never recognize it his vision was so blurry. Add to that the pounding headache he had and he didn't think he'd recognize his own mother if she walked through the door.

And he certainly didn't want to see her under these circumstances.

Harm had awoken hours ago, unsure of where he was and unsure of how he became unconscious in the first place. He'd found himself in a concrete block room with a very thick, very locked door, and enough sand on the floor and walls to start a beach. He was chained to the wall, but had enough freedom of movement to see out the only barred window.

There was nothing but rock and desert as far as he could see. Just as he was thinking the situation couldn't get much worse, Yarrow and a few of his men entered the room.

Harm let out a deep sigh. "You know Yarrow, this is getting old. How much longer is this particular bad action movie going to last?"

Yarrow glared at him. "Enough." He took a manilla folder from one of his men and removed the contents. "I need security specifics from these three locations," he said handing Harm three sets of blueprints. "And I need to know how many guards are at each location." He handed Harm a stack of satellite photos.

"And why would I tell you all that?"

"Because if you don't, I'll have my men attack the army base in Fallujah instead of these resistance cells."

Harm clenched his jaw. "You wouldn't."

"Far as I'm concerned, they're both valid targets. Come on, Captain. You help me out, we end this war once and for all, and our gov'ment won't spend any more money illegally and against the will of the people here."

"Congress approved the action-"

Yarrow cut Harm off with a wave of his hand. "Don't bother defending anyone. You don't support this war any more than I or any of these men do."

"You don't have any intel about the lay of the land or what assets the military or the CIA or any of a dozen other foreign agencies and allies might have in the area. You can't just charge in-"

Yarrow pulled his pistol out of the holster at his hip and hit Harm clear across the temple knocking him to the ground.

"Perfect," Harm muttered. "Knock me unconscious so I won't be able to help you."

Realizing his mistake, Yarrow kicked him in the ribs next time instead leaving Harm gasping for breath. "You know, I'd rather be whoopin' those terr'ists than beatin' the crap outa you."

"Yeah…that option's looking better and better unfortunately."

Yarrow grabbed the papers Harm had since dropped on the floor and threw them on top of him. You got until sundown. We're moving out an hour after that. You have a plan ready to go by then."

"Let me guess…Or else?"

"You catch on pretty quick for an officer."


	7. Chapter 7

NAVAL HOSPITAL

LONDON, ENGLAND

AJ was sitting in the waiting room patiently waiting for the nurse to tell him he could go see Mac when a red tornado blew through the door in the form of Mattie Rabb. Jennifer was hot on her heals.

"Admiral Chegwidden?" Mattie questioned. "Where is she? Is she okay? What happened? Where's Harm?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down. One thing at a time, all right?" He asked her calmly. Mattie nodded, somewhat embarrassed at her outburst.

"I'm sorry. I'm just, really worried you know?"

"I understand," he told her gently. "We're all concerned. Let's sit down and talk for a minute while we wait for Mac okay?"

"Sure."

"Jennifer, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well sir, it's good to see you."

"You people and your sirs…" he muttered as he smiled at his former yeoman and took a seat next to Mattie. He took the teen's hand and looked her in the eye. "Mac's fine. It's standard procedure for personnel to receive a routine medical exam when something like this happens."

"When their held captive."

AJ didn't know why her astuteness surprised him. "Yes."

"Where's Harm?"

"The Navy sent in a SEAL team accompanied by local authorities to secure the warehouse Mac directed them to. I'm expecting a call any-"

Mattie smirked as AJ's own phone interrupted him.

"Chegwidden." AJ listened to the caller as he got and moved away.

"Sir, it's Lieutenant Rivers. We've secured the warehouse. They cleaned it out pretty good, sir, but it's obvious this was where the Captain and Colonel were being held."

"_Was?_"

"They were gone by the time we got there, sir. Local authorities have a K-9 unit searching the area, and MI-6 has gotten involved. There's evidence they may have left the country."

"CIA?"

"Them too, sir."

"That it?"

"No, sir, I'll brief you more fully later, this isn't a secure line."

"All right. Has someone passed this on to General Creswell?"

"Yes, sir. My team's ready to move as soon as we get the word."

"Good. Keep me posted."

The approaching nurse saved him from having to explain that they hadn't recovered Harm in the raid on the warehouse. "Sir, you're waiting for Colonel Mackenzie?"

AJ nodded. "How's she doing?"

"Just fine. The doctor wants to keep her overnight for observation, but she'll be going home in the morning."

"Is that really necessary?"

"Doctor's orders, sir. I just follow them. You can go on back, she's in room 517."

"Thank you." Mattie was already off the chair and out the door by the time the nurse finished. "Come on Coates, let's try and keep up."

Mac was dressed in a pair of scrubs and stood looking out the window overlooking the city when Mattie came into the room. "Mac!" Mac didn't have to say anything. She just held her arms out and the teen rushed into them for an obviously much-needed hug. "I was so scared."

"I know sweetheart. Things got kind of outta hand."

Mattie actually laughed as she pulled out of the hug. "Kind of? Do you promise you're really okay?"

"I promise. A lot of this is standard procedure. They need to observe me for a while to make sure I'm...fit to go home." She put it delicately. "Harm and I have both been through this kind of thing before."

"Don't remind me," AJ said as he and Jennifer entered the room.

Mac gave him a melancholy smile then finished with Mattie. "This is the easy part, okay? Try not to worry." She turned to the Admiral. "Did you get word on Harm?" The grim expression on his face told her all she needed to know. "Damn it," she hissed.

"What happened?" Mattie questioned. "I thought you said the SEALS went after him?"

"They'd abandoned the warehouse by the time they got there. They've got a few good leads. He couldn't say more over the phone…You all right, Mac?"

She nodded, but at his raised eyebrow and unmistakable commanding look, she relented and elaborated. "A little dehydrated. And typical evaluation protocols. I'm fine. I'm more frustrated than anything else."

"Ma'am, why don't Mattie and I go down to the cafeteria and get you a decent snack and some juice. Cranberry right?"

"That'd be great, Jen, thanks."

As soon as they'd left the room, AJ pounced. "Mac, lay down on that bed before you fall down." She looked about to protest, but he shot her a look that just dared her to try.

As she carefully climbed back onto the bed she asked what she'd been dreading. "They left the area completely?"

AJ nearly winced. "It's worse than that I'm afraid. I don't have the details yet, but Commander Rivers seemed to think they left country."

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't made a run for it-"

"You'd _both_ be God knows where by now. Mac…you know as well as I do they had to do something to force him to cooperate once you were gone. It forced them to show their hand. They made a mistake, which I'm sure is what Harm was hoping for. They'll find him. Half the agencies in the western hemisphere are looking for him. We'll get him back."

***

Harm pulled himself off the sandy floor as the door squeaked open. He thought Yarrow's eyes were going to pop out of their sockets when he saw the blueprints and photos lying on the ground exactly where Harm left them when Yarrow locked him in the first time. Harm almost groaned when Lewis walked in behind him.

"I don't suppose a drink of water would be too much to ask for?"

"What is this?"

"Um…what?"

Yarrow pointed angrily at the floor. "I thought I told you--"

Harm held up a hand and interrupted him not caring what the consequences were anymore. "I know what you told me. I'm not helping you."

Harm barely had time to register what happened next. At a nod from Yarrow, Lewis pulled his pistol from a holster on his hip and fired at Harm. In the split second Harm realized what his intention was he ducked and the bullet hit the wall behind him barely missing his head. Enraged he stood up slowly.

"Do you have any idea how many troops are in Iraq? You're endangering all of them by acting on your own!"

"Lewis how many troops are at the base in Fallujah?"

"Like you guys are really going to be able to get past the sentry guards at a foreign base. Security there is practically as tight as the White House. Good luck. In fact go ahead and give it a try."

"Joel, there's a lot of anti-war sentiment among the troops. We can't just waltz on in there."

"I know that Lewis! I ain't stupid!"

"All's I'm sayin' is, let's take him with us. Let's bring more troops to the cause."

"Um…that's not _exactly_ what I had in mind…"

"Shut up!" the two revolutionaries said simultaneously.

"We can't kill 'im. They'll make 'im a martyr," Joel reasoned.

"We won't have to, Joel. Just by holding him captive we'll make them realize how weak they are as part of the military. If they join us, together we can raise up against the oppressive gov'ment that is illegally suppressing our freedoms. Joel, this is our chance. This is what we've been waiting for."

"They won't join you," Harm said softly. "They've sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution and follow orders. They'll die before they betray their country."

"That's why you and I are diff'rent Captain. We're asking them to honor the beliefs and traditions of freedom that America was founded on."

Harm walked towards Yarrow as far as his chained wrist would let him. "Ever heard the expression Semper Fi?" Yarrow narrowed his eyes at him. "They are honoring those traditions."

"Tell me how to infiltrate those strongholds."

Harm and Yarrow entered a staring contest in which neither would yield to the other. "No."

Lewis had obviously had enough of the steadfast officer and raised his weapon, ignoring the warning he was getting from his boss. Harm closed his eyes, fully expecting to be shot, but snapped them open again when the sound of gunfire came from someplace else in the compound.

"What the hell?" Yarrow barely had time to question before the door was smashed in by a very angry looking group of Marines. Marines, who immediately determined that Beecham was about to kill the Captain they'd been sent to rescue. Harm didn't waste the opportunity to drop into a duck and cover position.

Lewis Beecham, on the other hand, never had a chance. He hit the dirty floor a few seconds later with six bullet holes in his chest.

Joel Yarrow wasn't about to go down without a fight, but the commander of the unit had been correctly covering his men the whole time and when Yarrow aimed his weapon, the commander fired his first. Yarrow joined his compatriot collecting dust on the floor.

It was all over in about six seconds.

As the commander of the unit moved farther into the room, Harm stood up slowly, hardly believing who was walking towards him. "Gunny?"

"Sir, I thought we agreed that when we met again it'd be under better circumstances?" Victor Galindez grinned.

"What the hell took you so long?"

Gunny couldn't hold back the chuckle. "Sorry, Captain, we were working on sketchy intel from a bunch of _SEALS._" He emphasized the other group of Special Forces with mock disgust. Victor motioned to one of his men who pulled a set of keys from Yarrow's pocket and tossed them to his commander. Victor quickly released his former Officer in Charge from his restraints.

Harm promptly gave him a warm handshake and gave him a friendly pat on the back. When they walked out of the building, Harm was surprised they were actually in what looked like an abandoned town…amidst miles of desert. "Uh, Gunny?"

"Sir?"

"Where the hell are we?"

Gunny paused. "You don't know, sir?"

"I was unconscious for…uh…quite a while."

"We're in Iraq, sir."

Harm let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. "That figures."

"Sir?"

"Nevermind. I don't suppose you know the extent of the situation do you?" Harm rubbed his arm to try and work out some of the bruising, and hopefully pain, from the injured extremity.

Victor correctly interpreted Harm's question to mean 'do you know if Mac's all right?' and answered accordingly. "The Colonel's fine, sir. She's with Admiral Chegwidden at the Naval Hospital in London."

Harm gave him a wry smile. "Still with the Company I take it?"

Gunny shrugged and smiled. "Back in the Navy, sir?" Harm smiled and shrugged, but the smile turned into a frown when he pulled his hand away from his arm rubbing his fingers together to discover the reddish-brown liquid now stuck to them. Gunny only needed one look at the rapidly growing spot on his sleeve before yelling at the top of his lungs, "Corpsman!"

"I'm fine, Gunny. They stitched it up."

"Sir, my orders are to escort you back to London safe and sound. And although technically I'm on reserve status, I have absolutely no desire to face the wrath of Colonel Mackenzie and Admiral Chegwidden if you come back in anything more than one piece…sir." He added a little belatedly.

By that time the corpsman had met them on the street. "You wanna have a seat, sir, this is gonna take a minute." With a restrained sigh, Harm sat. He had no doubt Gunny would wrestle him to the ground if he didn't, and his arm was sore enough as it was. "Gunny, Corporal Evans asked me to tell you the chopper is inbound."

Gunny nodded. "We're flying out to the Patrick Henry, sir. We'll hop a COD from there to London." Before Harm could even open his mouth, Gunny finished, "And straight to the hospital."

They both heard the Corporal swear under his breath as he cut away some of the material from Harm's bloody sleeve. "Jesus, sir. This gash goes clear through to the bone. This is definitely going to need surgery."

"I must have torn the stitches. Just put a field dressing on it, Evans, it'll be fine."

"Sir, I really think you should let me…Captain?"

"Sir?"

Gunny sounded very far away all of a sudden. That was probably bad. He saw the Corporal start to give him a shot of morphine and Harm batted his had away and immediately wished he hadn't. He gasped in pain as the adrenaline from the shoot-out finally started to fade from his system. "No."

"Sir, it's just a painkiller, it'll help."

"I said no damn it," Harm pushed him away again. He swayed. Damn it. "Gunny don't you dare let him…" He never finished the sentence.

Harm's last thought before Gunny caught him and gently settled him to the ground before he could crash into it was that he was well and truly tired of being unconscious. And so help him, if Mac wasn't there when he woke up, he was going to lose it.

***

It was hard to breathe. The fog in his brain wouldn't let him understand. He'd been through a lot in the last few days, but he was pretty sure the bruises on his ribs had already started to fade. He shifted in the bed.

Bed?

"Harm? You awake?"

Mattie! Although that was more than a good enough reason to open his eyes, he still couldn't quite find the energy.

"And you call me a sleepy head? Jeeze." There was a pause, and then a softer, "Harm…please."

Even with his eyes closed, he could still see her lower lip trembling. That cute, little, lower lip that tore him to pieces every time she was sad. He hated it when she was sad. He tried harder.

"Mat…" He slowly opened his eyes, and when his vision cleared, he saw her smiling face, her red curly locks flowing down to his shoulders. He grinned. "Hey kiddo."

Mattie leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Hey yourself." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Welcome back."

He glanced down at his arm, which was propped up comfortably on a pillow, and then around the room. Mattie held out a Styrofoam cup with a straw for him to drink. For some reason that he still couldn't fathom, even after all his accidents over the years, water always tasted better in the hospital. "London?" One-word sentences were all he had energy for right now.

She smiled softly an understanding beyond her years sparkling in her eyes. "Yeah."

"Mac?"

"She's okay. She and the Admiral are with Gunny out in the hall. He, uh…put himself on guard duty. Although I don't think he looks scary enough to be a deterrent, but whatever."

He grinned again, even in what he now realized to be a drug-induced haze, he recognized her subtle way of telling him she wasn't too sure about his self-appointed protector. "He saved my life. Be nice to him."

Mattie nodded taking the instruction seriously. If Harm said he was okay, that was good enough for her. "Can you stay awake if I go out to get them?"

"I don't know. Wake me up if I can't." Harm's eyelids were already drooping a little. He heard the door whooshing shut before he even realized she was gone.

As Harm found himself opening his eyes again, he realized that they hadn't woken him up. He felt a familiar warmth around his hand and instinctively curled his fingers around it. He felt her move before she spoke.

"Harm?"

"You know another sailor who frequently finds himself in hospitals?" He didn't miss her sigh of relief as he finally saw her perched on the edge of his bed.

"You are hereby never allowed out of the house again, do you hear me?"

Harm smirked. "Hey! This all started at your office, not mine." He stopped smiling when he felt her stiffen. "Mac…hey…"

"This is all-"

"Don't you dare say this was your fault. That's ridiculous and you know it." He squeezed her hand and pulled her closer to him. "I'm just so glad you're okay."

"We thought we'd lost you. When you weren't at the warehouse when the teams went in…"

"I know. I'm sorry I couldn't leave any breadcrumbs." He paused. "I'll be more careful."

"No you won't." Harm gaped at her. "You do what has to be done. And that's one of the many reasons I love you." She kissed him gently. "I think AJ said we just always happen to be where we're most needed. _That's _the Harmon Rabb I fell in love with."

"Well, I promise I'll at least try."

Mac tapped his nose. "And you never break your promises."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"You proposed in a rose garden."

"So that's what sealed the deal, huh?"

"No, this did." And she kissed him again before he drifted into a restful, healing sleep.

***

Harm paused on the walkway leading up to the front door and took a long deep breath. He certainly hadn't planned on being gone for so long when he and Mac had left for the reception over two weeks ago.

Mac stopped on the walk and turned around, a furrow in her brow. "You okay?"

"Just…glad to be home." After spending a week in the hospital after his surgery for recovery and psych eval, Harm was more than ready to sleep in their own bed tonight.

Mattie opened the front door wiping her hands on a dishtowel as Harm and Mac got to the porch. "There you guys are. What took so long?"

"Well first we had to wheel broken wing here out to the car and then we got stuck traffic." Mac leaned down and hugged the girl. "Are they here?" she whispered conspiratorially. Mattie nodded.

"Broken wing? What happened to Fat Lip?"

Mac smirked. "Thankfully, it no longer applies. Although now that you mention it, you've lost enough weight we could start calling you stick boy again."

"Gee thanks…Hey kiddo," Harm gave Mattie a hug as best he could with the sling on his arm. "You look great. How long have you been up and around like this?"

"Only about a week. I still get tired pretty fast." They all moved into the house and Mattie shut the door.

"And you're cooking?" Harm inhaled the wonderful smell of spaghetti coming from the kitchen.

"No, I was just helping Grandma. They're here!" She yelled down the hall.

Before Harm could hide the shock on his face, his mom and Frank came down the hall to greet them at the door. "Harm!" Trish hugged her son and forlornly glanced at his broken arm. "Sweetheart…"

"Oh, mom. It's so good to see you." He wiped a tear from her eye. "This one got a little rough, huh?"

"I'll say. Now come sit down before you fall down. I know that look. She turned him in the direction of the living room and headed back into the kitchen, Mattie latching onto her along the way.

"How are you feeling Harm?" Frank piped up.

"Better Frank thanks," Harm grinned as they shook hands and he found himself pulled into another hug. He let Frank hover over him as he settled onto the couch. Mac suddenly appeared at his elbow with two cold bottles of beer, one she handed to Frank, and the other she popped the top off of for him. "Mac?"

"The doctor said it was okay since you stopped taking the pain medication."

"But…"

"It's a special occasion." She kissed his forehead and stood up to go help with dinner, but he snagged her hand and tugged her back down to kiss her properly.

"That was very sweet. Thank you." It had been an unspoken decision, or maybe even a rule, that they didn't keep alcohol of any kind in the house for too many reasons to even list. That she had even considered that he might want a drink to relax when he got home was incredibly thoughtful. He found the simple gesture extremely endearing.

"You're welcome." She stuffed a pillow under his arm, because somehow she knew he wasn't comfortable yet, and headed towards the sounds of giggles and aroma of food in the kitchen.

"That's some girl you've got there."

Harm smiled and spoke barely above a whisper. "The best."

"Are you really feeling okay?"

That snapped Harm out of his love-induced stupor. "What?"

"Or was that just for your mother's benefit?" Knowing Harm had heard him the first time, Frank didn't bother repeating himself.

Clearly, Harm thought – and not for the first time – this man had spent far too much time with him as a teenager. He absently fingered the label on his beer bottle. He hadn't even talked to Mac about all this yet. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it, period.

"I don't mean to push you," Frank read his mind, "I just thought you might want or need to talk."

"I should."

"But?"

"I don't know, Frank. This one…"

"Was more than a little rough, Harm…I'm sorry we couldn't send the money-"

"Frank," Harm cut him off. "Stop it."

"I wanted to."

"I know you did. AJ told me everything. He's still in town; he's supposed to come over for dinner tomorrow night. You and mom should come."

"Harmon Rabb, Jr. if you don't want to talk about it just say so. Don't try and change the subject like I'm an idiot."

Harm lost the ability to form words after that. The last time Frank had called him by his full name had been when his parents picked him up from the CIA office in Los Angeles after his unscheduled trip to Vietnam with Striker. It had been what was needed to finally get Harm's attention back then, and it certainly was having the same effect now. Finally he said in that soft, contrite tone, "You're right. I'm sorry. I don't…I just…"

"One word at a time, son."

Harm took a deep breath, and found strength in the laughter still floating from the kitchen. "We've been in jams before. Hell, we were lost in the middle of Afghanistan once." Harm watched Frank's eyebrows practically shoot off his face at that. "Even that wasn't as hard…"

"They were threatening your family this time."

With that one little sentence, Frank had somehow managed to bring the real issue, the thing that was really eating at him, right to the forefront. "I've never been more scared for her. Or you and mom. And there wasn't a thing I could do about it."

"You removed Mac from the equation. You forced them to change their timetable. Who knows what would have happened if they had insisted on the ransom? I know it took longer for you to come home in the long run, but I can't tell you how glad I am their priorities changed."

"Once Mac escaped, they couldn't afford to wait for the ransom money without considerable risk of being caught."

"Admiral Chegwidden said if Mac hadn't gotten away and forced them to make a mistake, they probably wouldn't have found you in time."

"I…I know."

"That's the problem isn't it?"

"What?"

"How close you came, how close you both came this time."

Harm just nodded, not trusting himself to put it into words. Finally, he could bear the expectant gaze Frank was pinning him with no more. "It was just so…lucky. Someone at the airport just happened to think the plane taking off headed for the Middle East was a little suspicious. AJ and the SEALS happened to be monitoring air traffic communications. Gunny happened to be in country to lead the rescue team."

"I thought pilots believed in being lucky."

"I used to. Fact is I was pretty sure I'd used up all my luck …Twice."

"And?"

Leave it to Frank. How he could always tell Harm was only giving him the tip of the iceberg he would never know. He hoped to one day perfect the skill with Mattie, and God willing, his own kids. For now, he supposed Frank deserved an answer. He took a long pull from his beer before leaning down and putting his head in his good hand, propped on his knee. "I can't leave them alone, Frank."

The complete honesty and utter sadness conveyed in those words touched Frank. He should have known. When Mac had told him Harm seemed depressed he'd told her he was probably just caught in his typical 'I'm hurt and can't do everything for myself' funk, and would feel better when he got home. She'd insisted it was more than that, and when Harm had walked through that front door he'd believed it instantly.

"Harm, listen to me. Mac, and Mattie for that matter, fell in love with Harm, the passionate lawyer-pilot who cares more for the people around him than he ever will about himself…Not a mopey Naval officer."

"Mopey?"

"You're moping. Don't even bother denying it."

Harm suddenly had a gut feeling that told him his parents being here when he'd arrived home with Mac was more than just a friendly visit to say hello after his latest "accident." Instead of that making him feel better, Harm immediately felt guilty. Mac must have known something was wrong and he wouldn't talk to her. So she'd done the next best thing in order to help him.

Because he was, in fact, moping. He was a moper. He looked up at Frank with what must have been a pretty miserable expression if the look of sympathy he was receiving was any indication.

"The hardest lesson for any parent to learn is that you can't protect your family all of the time. All anyone can do is the best they can. And everyone under this roof knows you do exactly that everyday."

"Thanks Frank…Frank?...I'm sorry I called you."

"I'm glad you called me, Harm. I'm just sorry I couldn't do more to help."

"I shouldn't have."

"You had a _gun_ to your head. I don't care how well you've been trained to resist interrogation. They were threatening you, Mac, and us. Am I right?" Harm nodded. "Harm you did the right thing." He held up his hand to forestall the protest. "I don't care what the Navy has to say about it."

Harm smiled. "AJ said the same thing."

"It's how we knew where to start looking. AJ got your message."

"I scared the _crap_ out of you."

"Harm, you've scared me worse."

Harm's eyes locked onto Frank's like a guided missile at that statement. "That's exactly why I should quit."

"Have you talked to Mac about this?"

"No."

"Harm, this wasn't anyone's fault except those misguided kidnappers."

"That isn't true. There's a lot of things we could have done differently in the Embassy."

"They say hindsight is 20/20 for a reason. Stop beating yourself up over this. You're beaten up enough as it is."

Harm gave him a full-blown smirk at that. "Have you always been this smart, Frank?"

Frank chuckled. "Nope. I had to learn to keep up with my son."

Frank stood just as Mattie shrieked and then all three of the women started laughing hysterically. He clasped Harm's shoulder. "Come on. Let's see what we're missing."

As they walked into the kitchen, Harm ducked just in time to miss a flying glop of spaghetti sauce that landed with a soft plop on Frank's forehead. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop, and then everyone burst into laughter at once. Frank gingerly wiped the sauce away with a napkin trying to avoid tears from laughing so hard.

"Well if dinner wasn't ready all you had to do was say so," Harm quipped as he sat down at the table.

Mac walked over to Frank with a damp paper towel. "Sorry Frank," she confessed.

He smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Mission accomplished," he whispered in her ear.

"Thank you," she sincerely whispered back.

"Who wants dessert?" Mattie suddenly exclaimed. Grabbing a bowl out of the freezer.

"Mattie, we haven't eaten dinner yet," Trish chastised. Mattie simply raised an eyebrow in what Harm recognized as her 'And your point is?' look. He nodded in agreement even though his eyes were following the bowl he now realized was filled with ice cream. Mattie put him out of his misery and put it down in front of him.

"I'm glad you're okay," she kissed his cheek and handed him a spoon. He grinned at her. Frank was right. He just had to get better physically. Everything else would be okay. Mattie stood up to stir the sauce muttering, "Jeez Grandma, he's like six foot four, it's not like it's going to spoil his appetite."

Mac came over to the table with another beer for him. "Mac, really…"

She just set it down on the placemat and knelt beside him. "Okay?" Harm knew immediately what she was asking, and it had nothing to do with beer or ice cream.

"Okay." He smiled at her. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." They kissed. "Now eat your ice cream before it melts."

"Yes, ma'am." He certainly didn't have to be told twice. Especially when he saw what flavor was sitting in the bowl.

Moose tracks.

Suddenly all was right in the world.


End file.
